retry

1 of 2

verb

re·​try (ˌ)rē-ˈtrī How to pronounce retry (audio)
retried; retrying
1
transitive + intransitive : to try (something) again to see if it is successful, working, or satisfactory
He retried downloading the program.
Turn the device and the router off for at least ten seconds, then turn them back on and retry the connection.Ankit Banerjee
a restaurant that might be worth retrying
After a certain number of failed attempts, the system will stop retrying.
2
transitive law : to try (someone or something) judicially for a second time
Prosecutors decided to retry the case.
retry a defendant
He was retried on the manslaughter charge.

retry

2 of 2

noun

re·​try ˈrē-ˌtrī How to pronounce retry (audio)
plural retries
: a new attempt or try
The website loaded on the third retry.

Examples of retry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But the attorney general filed a brief with the Supreme Court to request that Mr. Glossip’s sentence be vacated so that the case can be retried. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2024 Smith, now 72, remains held in jail is set to be retried in June. Dan Morse, Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2024 George Gascón said at the time that a decision had not been made about whether to retry Weinstein on those charges. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2023 After a mistrial, an ex-LAPD cop who fatally shot a disabled man in a Corona Costco won’t be retried. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Though it was granted, the case has yet to be retried. Jacqueline Charlesand, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2024 Mills ordered the state to retry the 37-year-old man within six months and said he must be released from custody if he is not retried by then. CBS News, 18 Dec. 2023 The prosecutors plan to retry the case and get busy preparing for round two, starting with the defense star witness, medical examiner Dr. William Anderson. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2024 Now the California attorney general’s office must decide whether to retry Sanchez. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2024
Noun
On March 6, Ms. Egwuatu and Mr. Onuoha and their 350 guests, including 11 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, gathered at Houston’s Holy Trinity Cathedral for a retry. New York Times, 2 Apr. 2021 The information on the devices included the child’s name, gender and date of birth, mother’s name, caregiver’s name, and the hearing-screening results, which were pass, fail, retry or incomplete. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 7 Apr. 2022 Penn State was called offsides on the play, but running back Kerry Goode was stopped short on a retry from the 2 and Alabama lost. Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 28 Oct. 2022 The Hawks were awarded a retry from 5 yards further back, but Daniel Silveria came down with the ball to seal the deal for King Philip. Jake Levin, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Sep. 2022 In 2019, the retry rate was 7 percent, according to CBP. Dallas News, 19 Sep. 2022 One notable launch in 2021 that didn’t happen was the retry by Boeing to send its CST-100 Starliner crew capsule on a mission to the International Space Station. Richard Tribou, orlandosentinel.com, 21 Jan. 2022 Returnal won't go easy on you, but anyone with the stomach for frantic die-and-retry combat should expect a once-in-a-lifetime experience out of Housemarque's best game ever. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 26 Dec. 2021 Dan Bailey's first extra-point attempt was blocked, but an offsides penalty resulted in a retry, which Bailey hit to give the Vikings the decisive 28-27 margin. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retry was circa 1673

Dictionary Entries Near retry

Cite this Entry

“Retry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retry. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

retry

transitive verb
re·​try
ˌrē-ˈtrī
retried; retrying
: to try again

More from Merriam-Webster on retry

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