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.
"Me coming in, just trying to learn the defensive principles... there's a reason why they're so good at it," he said.
From Barron's
His family said he was among approximately 30 residents of the village of Mukhmas who were trying to stop armed settlers from stealing their goats on Wednesday.
From BBC
"I'm excited to be back in the hunt trying to get a win."
From Barron's
Before she could say anything, “a client I’d been trying to reach all day was calling in. I said to Laura, ‘Sorry, I have to call you back,’ and disconnected, literally leaving her hanging.
“There’s no perfect science to it, but we’re just going to keep talking about it, trying to educate our guys,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
