tried
Americanverb
adjective
-
tested and proved good, dependable, or trustworthy.
a man of tried talents and integrity.
-
subjected to hardship, worry, trouble, or the like.
verb
Etymology
Origin of tried
First recorded in 1350–1400
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We did have one or two tip-offs... we tried to find her, but we kept missing her," Hannah said.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
“Heretic” was underbaked and half-thought, while “Companion” tried to create big laughs and bigger action from minuscule ideas.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
The tried and true disciplines — diversification across and within asset classes and periodic rebalancing — do not make headlines.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Having the brilliant Tom Brooke next to me was like walking around with a wooden door that I constantly tried to run up, like that guy in “Singin’ in the Rain.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
For a while I tried to concentrate on the names and addresses in the briefcase.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
