trying
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of trying
First recorded in 1570–80 for the sense “attempting”; 1710–20 for the current sense; try + -ing 2
Explanation
Use the adjective trying to describe an experience that is exasperating or difficult. Babysitting rascally kids for hours can be a trying ordeal. If you've had a trying week, you'll be relieved and happy when Friday night finally arrives. Trying things can be upsetting, tricky, or strenuous. This word comes from a sense of the verb try that means "to make severe demands on a person, or on a person's patience." The first recorded use of trying was in the early 18th century.
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.
That dynamic also raises the risk of drawing Gulf states deeper into the conflict, as they absorb mounting economic and security costs from a confrontation they are trying to avoid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Some AI companies are now trying to encode human values into their products.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Maybe it would have gone better had he just admitted he was trying to make a little extra cash all along the way.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
Judge Anne Hwang determined his prior murder conviction no longer applied as a felony under a landmark 2016 change in California law that barred prosecutors from trying juveniles as adults without a judge’s approval.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Others feature ex-USAFFE soldiers trying to convince Filipino soldiers to surrender immediately.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
