trying

[ trahy-ing ]

/ ˈtraɪ ɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR trying ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

extremely annoying, difficult, or the like; straining one's patience and goodwill to the limit: a trying day; a trying experience.

Nearby words

Origin of trying

1570–80 for general sense; 1710–20 for current sense; try + -ing²

SYNONYMS FOR trying

irritating, irksome, bothersome, vexing.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR trying ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formstry·ing·ly, adverbtry·ing·ness, nounun·try·ing, adjective

try

[ trahy ]

/ traɪ /

verb (used with object), tried, try·ing.

to attempt to do or accomplish: Try it before you say it's simple.

to test the effect or result of (often followed by out): to try a new method; to try a recipe out.

to endeavor to evaluate by experiment or experience: to try a new field; to try a new book.

to test the quality, value, fitness, accuracy, etc., of: Will you try a spoonful of this and tell me what you think of it?

Law. to examine and determine judicially, as a cause; determine judicially the guilt or innocence of (a person).

to put to a severe test; subject to strain, as of endurance, patience, affliction, or trouble; tax: to try one's patience.

to attempt to open (a door, window, etc.) in order to find out whether it is locked: Try all the doors before leaving.

to melt down (fat, blubber, etc.) to obtain the oil; render (usually followed by out).

Archaic.

to determine the truth or right of (a quarrel or question) by test or battle (sometimes followed by out).
to find to be right by test or experience.

verb (used without object), tried, try·ing.

to make an attempt or effort; strive: Try to complete the examination.

Nautical. to lie to in heavy weather under just sufficient sail to head into the wind.

noun, plural tries.

an attempt or effort: to have a try at something.

Rugby. a score of three points earned by advancing the ball to or beyond the opponents' goal line.

Verb Phrases

try on, to put on an article of clothing in order to judge its appearance and fit: You can't really tell how it will look until you try it on.

try out, to use experimentally; test: to try out a new car.

try out for, to compete for (a position, membership, etc.): Over a hundred boys came to try out for the football team.

Origin of try

1250–1300; Middle English trien to try (a legal case) < Anglo-French trier, Old French: to sift, cull, of uncertain origin

SYNONYMS FOR try

1, 10. Try, attempt, endeavor, strive all mean to put forth an effort toward a specific end. Try is the most often used and most general term: to try to decipher a message; to try hard to succeed. Attempt, often interchangeable with try, sometimes suggests the possibility of failure and is often used in reference to more serious or important matters: to attempt to formulate a new theory of motion. Endeavor emphasizes serious and continued exertion of effort, sometimes aimed at dutiful or socially appropriate behavior: to endeavor to fulfill one's obligations. Strive, stresses persistent, vigorous, even strenuous effort, often in the face of obstacles: to strive to overcome a handicap.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR try ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formspre·try, verb (used with object), pre·tried, pre·try·ing.re·try, verb, re·tried, re·try·ing.

Usage note

10. Try followed by and instead of to has been in standard use since the 17th century: The Justice Department has decided to try and regulate jury-selection practices. The construction occurs only with the base form try, not with tries or tried or trying. Although some believe that try and is less formal than try to, both patterns occur in all types of speech and writing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for trying

Between 25 and 30, you’re trying to decide how much longer before you start growing a beard and calling yourself ‘Daddy.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps on his own nowadays, Epstein is trying his best to webmaster over a dozen URLs.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Humans spent a long time domesticating cattle, and what they were trying to do, in essence, was de-domesticate them.
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Faal told the FBI that his group was trying “restore democracy to The Gambia and improve the lives of its people.”
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

He was trying, I think, to demonstrate balance and equivalence.
Memo to Cops: Criticisms Aren’t Attacks|Michael Tomasky|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Why should it break its pretty painted wings in trying to soar above the sunshine of the hour?
Miss Hildreth, Volume 1 of 3|Augusta de Grasse Stevens
I was trying to remember whether or not I'd put moth-balls in your winter suit.'
The Sick-a-Bed Lady|Eleanor Hallowell Abbott
The alcalde was trying to change the course of the conversation.
The Social Cancer|Jos Rizal
Then he threshed his legs, where two of the creatures clung, trying to drag him down again.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930|Various
She was trying to remember all she knew of the courts of the island—where they were held, and on what days.
The Manxman|Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for trying

trying

/ (ˈtraɪɪŋ) /

adjective

upsetting, difficult, or annoyinga trying day at the office

Derived Formstryingly, adverbtryingness, noun

try

/ (traɪ) /

verb tries, trying or tried

(when tr, may take an infinitive, sometimes with to replaced by and) to make an effort or attempthe tried to climb a cliff

(tr often foll by out) to sample, test, or give experimental use to (something) in order to determine its quality, worth, etctry her cheese flan

(tr) to put strain or stress onhe tries my patience

(tr; often passive) to give pain, affliction, or vexation to: I have been sorely tried by those children

to examine and determine the issues involved in (a cause) in a court of law
to hear evidence in order to determine the guilt or innocence of (an accused)
to sit as judge at the trial of (an issue or person)

(tr) to melt (fat, lard, etc) in order to separate out impurities

(tr usually foll by out) obsolete to extract (a material) from an ore, mixture, etc, usually by heat; refine

noun plural tries

an experiment or trial

an attempt or effort

rugby the act of an attacking player touching the ball down behind the opposing team's goal line, scoring five or, in Rugby League, four points

Also called: try for a point American football an attempt made after a touchdown to score an extra point by kicking a goal or, for two extra points, by running the ball or completing a pass across the opponents' goal line

Word Origin for try

C13: from Old French trier to sort, sift, of uncertain origin

usage

The use of and instead of to after try is very common, but should be avoided in formal writing: we must try to prevent (not try and prevent) this happening

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for trying

try

c.1300, "examine judiciously, sit in judgment of," from Anglo-French trier (late 13c.), from Old French trier "to pick out, cull" (12c.), from Gallo-Romance *triare, of unknown origin. The ground sense is "separate out (the good) by examination." Meaning "to test" is first recorded mid-14c.; that of "attempt to do" is from early 14c. Sense of "to subject to some strain" (of patience, endurance, etc.) is recorded from 1530s. Trying "distressing" is first attested 1718. To try (something) on for size in the figurative sense is recorded from 1956.

Medicine definitions for trying

Try

abbr.

tryptophan

Idioms and Phrases with trying

try

In addition to the idioms beginning with try

try on
try one's hand
try one's patience
try out

also see:

old college try

Also see undertried.

trying

adjective

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of trying

try

verb (used with object), tried, try·ing.

verb (used without object), tried, try·ing.

noun, plural tries.

Verb Phrases

Origin of try

Usage note

Examples from the Web for trying

trying

adjective

try

verb tries, trying or tried

noun plural tries

Word Origin for try

usage

try

Try

abbr.

try