as in hard
difficult to endure
a harrowing account of the trying conditions experienced by the climbers before they were rescued
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in stretching
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
you're trying my patience
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in attempting
to make an effort to do
try to unlock the door will try to call later tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trying
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
There also is a rather sketchy guy named The Bear (Jon Bernthal), who owes Charlie for his help during one very trying time in his time at the agency.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
Bret Kenwell, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
And that might also be scaring some people off about trying to release a brand-new holiday movie, not based on a piece of IP at this time of year.
—Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for trying
Adjective
Getting to Coachella this year has been more trying than usual, festivalgoers say, as many are taking to social media to complain about hours-long lines to get to the car camping area on the festival grounds.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
There also is a rather sketchy guy named The Bear (Jon Bernthal), who owes Charlie for his help during one very trying time in his time at the agency.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
However, this lumpy performance has been frustrating for investors trying to time the market rather than maintain a constant exposure to small caps.
—Bret Kenwell, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
And that might also be scaring some people off about trying to release a brand-new holiday movie, not based on a piece of IP at this time of year.
—Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for trying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trying
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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That die-hard fan base in Phoenix got a taste of glory in 2021 when the Suns were up two games to none in the Finals on the Milwaukee Bucks before dropping the next four and ultimately losing the championship series.—
Max Olsan,
The Arizona Republic,
13 Feb. 2023
Verb
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This year, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is attempting to not only win the Masters but become a grand slam champion.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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His 48-foot birdie putt set off a charge so loud that poor Corey Conners, attempting to speak to reporters a few hundred yards away, had to stop and wait.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Lamont, who had proposed boosting special education aid by $40 million — but not until July 2026 — countered that the state budget already was on pace to exceed the budget cap and that legislators needed to make tough choices and trim spending.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
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Proper handwashing is tough when the handwash sink doesn’t have any hot water.—
David J. Neal
August 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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With the MacBook Air launching earlier than the iPhone SE and ahead of the next Apple Intelligence update, this points to a press release launch and Apple pushing its consumer laptops further into the background.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
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This is not a new development in New Orleans where the Saints have been pushing their costs into the future for years now.—
Josh Kendall,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
This means going beyond policies and quotas, striving instead for cultural norms where differences are not only accepted but celebrated.—
Mo Hamzian,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
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By contrast, the sneaker trends that have defined the latter half of this year–and those forecast for next–suggest many people are striving for anti-mainstream designs.—
Alice Cary,
Vogue,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, 60, who in April caught attention for delivering a searing speech in New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
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Central Florida faces another searing day Sunday with the National Weather Service placing much of the region under another heat advisory, and conditions could worsen Monday.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 July 2025
Verb
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He was forced to leave the game in the final minutes of the Pelicans’ Play-In Tournament loss to the Lakers last season after straining his left hamstring.—
William Guillory,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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Le Pen's remarks often sparked public outrage, but his influence shaped France's populist movement, with his inflammatory statements, including Holocaust denial, resulting in multiple convictions and straining his political alliances.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As the moon moves through Sagittarius, a harsh reality disturbs your inner peace.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
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Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trying. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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