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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
In a separate motion set for a hearing later this week, Combs is asking that his conviction be set aside as a matter of law or that he be retried on the prostitution charges alone. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025 Prosecutors retried the case and a second jury returned April's guilty verdict. Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
OEMs should prioritize infrastructure that automates collections, flags failed transactions and applies smart retry logic. Hans Kristian Aas, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Carroll looked to have the advantage in the seventh round of the shootout when Geller stopped a shot by Prosper’s Reagan Roberts, but Geller was ruled to have left the line too early and Roberts’ retry was true to put the Eagles up 5-4. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for retry

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

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Cite this Entry

“Retry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retry. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

Legal Definition

retry

transitive verb
re·​try
ˌrē-ˈtrī
retried; retrying
: to try again
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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