trying
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Mejia said Sokoloff’s mother — married to Jonathan Sokoloff, managing partner of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners — was trying to bankroll the seat for her son.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
The pope is expected to lay a floral tribute at the port in memory of those who died trying to reach the Canary Islands.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
"It also feels like some food and water suppliers are trying to take advantage of the situation and make excessive profits," says a Korean sailor who doesn't want to be named.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
Like married men who are trying to support their families, foreign-born males who come to the U.S. in search of work also tend to have higher work rates, notwithstanding globalization and other macroeconomic trends.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
I swallow, quietly trying to memorize their faces.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
