trying
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- tryingly adverb
- tryingness noun
- untrying adjective
Etymology
Origin of trying
First recorded in 1570–80 for the sense “attempting”; 1710–20 for the current sense; try + -ing 2
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.
“You’re spending so much staff overhead and work trying to fight them and appeal to them and justify why we should get paid,” he said.
Of Infiniti, Grace notes, “She was just lovely, and she made my job really easy, just looking at her” trying to act tough, “like you don’t even know you’re a baby.”
From Los Angeles Times
That one took at least 10 different iterations of trying to figure out, where in the world would it make sense that Arn — who can fit in anywhere — wouldn’t have a good time?
From Los Angeles Times
The comedy sees Rogen play Matt Remick, the newly appointed hapless head of Continental Studios, who is desperate for celebrity approval while also trying to achieve both critical acclaim and box office success.
From BBC
Nearly one-third of patients do not improve after trying their first antidepressant, often leading to months of trial and error.
From Science Daily
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.
