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
Now, Murdaugh’s convictions for the murders of his wife and son have been tossed out, and the case will be retried, thanks in part, the state’s highest court has ruled, to the moneymaking ambitions of one woman who got a little too close to the story. Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026 The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that a criminal case against a man charged with murder in the death of a 10-month-old baby should be retried. Logan Smith, CBS News, 23 May 2026
Noun
Latency, error rate and retry cost belong on the same dashboard as dollars. Ben Gutkovich, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026 For example, when a task failed mid-action, such as picking up an object unsuccessfully, the system could recognize the failure and retry without prior training on that specific scenario. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026 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 2 Jun. 2026.

Legal Definition

retry

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