tryout

noun try·out \ ˈtrī-ˌau̇t \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Examples: tryout in a Sentence

: an experimental performance or demonstration: such as

a : a test of the ability (as of an athlete or actor) to fill a part or meet standards

b : a performance of a play prior to its official opening to determine response and discover weaknesses

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See tryout defined for kids

Examples of tryout in a Sentence

Open tryouts for the team are next Monday.

Recent Examples of tryout from the Web

An undrafted free agent, Thielen could hardly get a tryout as a rookie and didn't break 150 yards per season in his first two years in the league.

— jourdan rodrigue, charlotteobserver, "Big adjustments evident in Norv Turner's Panthers offense, and not just for Cam Newton," 8 June 2018
Each actor read a scene written specifically for the tryout—all the better to keep The Good Place’s secrets a secret—in which Janet had been reimagined as a kind of customer-service agent for a disreputable company.

— laura bradley, HWD, "How The Good Place Built Janet, TV’s Most Scene-Stealing Not-a-Robot," 4 June 2018
To think his unlikely tale took a fortuitous turn in 1975 when Nelson saw an announcement in The Sporting News for a tryout with the Mavericks, owned by former actor Bing Russell — Kurt’s father.

— david haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Nellie Fox's card inspiration for Big League Chew: 'My dad used to say it was lightning in a pouch'," 24 May 2018
Washington was not drafted by the National Football League but had a tryout with the then-San Diego Chargers.

— tom groeschen, Cincinnati.com, "University of Cincinnati Bearcats football great Washington named head coach at alma mater," 9 May 2018
Meanwhile, C&N Sports Group, which represents Trevor Darling posted on Twitter that the offensive lineman would get a tryout with the Cleveland Browns.

— christy cabrera chirinos, Sun-Sentinel.com, "UM's Anthony Moten signs with Dolphins, Kc McDermott joins Jaguars as undrafted 'Canes find spots," 29 Apr. 2018
This included letting nurse practitioners perform student-athlete exams (which was not allowed at the time), failure to perform sickle cell tests in a timely manner and failure to require medical exams before tryouts.

— michael mcgough, sacbee, "Serious NCAA rules violations result in 3-year probation for Sac State tennis program | The Sacramento Bee," 20 Apr. 2018
The Whiffs, as they are known, and Yale’s senior women’s a cappella group, Whim ’n Rhythm, issued a joint announcement Feb. 1 that tryouts for both groups will now be open to all rising seniors.

— pat eaton-robb, Cosmopolitan, "Yale's All-Male Glee Club Will Now Admit Women, Gender Non-Conforming Singers," 12 Feb. 2018
Despite a coaching change less than a week before tryouts and the loss of a pair of NCAA Division I commits entering the season, the Wolves are playing in the state tournament this week for the second time in program history.

— j.c. carnahan, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Timber Creek faces state champion West Orange in softball semifinal," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tryout.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of tryout

1903

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

try out

verb

intransitive verb

: to compete for a position especially on an athletic team or for a part in a play

See try out defined for kids

Examples of try out in a Sentence

want to try out my new skateboard?
tried out his skill at archery

First Known Use of try out

1909

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

TRYOUT Defined for English Language Learners

tryout

noun

: a test of someone's ability to do something that is used to see if he or she should join a team, perform in a play, etc.
: a test of the quality, value, or usefulness of something