try it on

idiom

British, informal
1
: to behave badly so that someone becomes annoyed or angry
often + with
Don't take any notice of him—he's only trying it on with you.
2
: to try to start a sexual relationship with someone
often + with
He tried it on with a girl at the pub.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The shoe is long and narrow, so make sure to try it on in-store. Nerisha Penrose, elle.com, 22 Apr. 2023 Since the drug had been in use for decades and had a reasonable safety profile for both adults and children, the team requested approval from the FDA to try it on Marley; it was granted soon after. Emma Yasinski, Discover Magazine, 16 Oct. 2022 Also try it on grilled vegetables to make a seriously satisfying vegetarian dinner. Becca Miller, Good Housekeeping, 30 June 2022 Now try it on someone who deserves your attention: a certain text-snooping, self-loathing provider of pills and excuses. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 30 May 2022 Also, never use the same password for all your online activity, because if a service is breached and your password is exposed, cybercriminals may try it on another account. Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, 5 May 2022 But!—the gown is on display at the museum, so fans think Kim and Pete visited to check it out and possibly try it on. Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 2 May 2022 The experience isn’t without risks — especially for women and people of color — and Weathers doesn’t necessarily recommend that anyone try it on their own. Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2022 For Hurley, the man now taking on the NFL is the same one who showed up at a YMCA cookout with a Super Bowl ring — not to show it off, but to let all the kids try it on. Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Feb. 2022 See More

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

Dictionary Entries Near try it on

Cite this Entry

“Try it on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/try%20it%20on. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

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