essay 1 of 2

1
as in article
a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view school essays on what it means to be a patriot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in test
a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty a little homemade essay to determine the easiest way to strip the paint from the bookcase

Synonyms & Similar Words

essay

2 of 2

verb

as in to attempt
to make an effort to do he had been in gymnastics for some time before he even considered essaying that move

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb essay differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of essay are attempt, endeavor, strive, and try. While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

When might attempt be a better fit than essay?

While the synonyms attempt and essay are close in meaning, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

Where would endeavor be a reasonable alternative to essay?

Although the words endeavor and essay have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

When is strive a more appropriate choice than essay?

While in some cases nearly identical to essay, strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of essay?

Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of essay
Noun
Supporting emails, poems, blog posts, essays, stories, code, and images, Creator Answer offers contextual suggestions and customization options for each type of content. William Jones, USA Today, 28 May 2025 Flora is the granddaughter of Princess Alexandra, a first cousin of the late Queen, and opened up about her diagnosis in a first-person essay for British Vogue on May 25. Janine Henni, People.com, 26 May 2025
Verb
Williams’ academic performance, extracurricular leadership, community service learning and essay on the impact of military service on the family earned her the award. Lena Miano, Arkansas Online, 6 Apr. 2025 Read her heartfelt as-told-to essay below: I was born in 1997. Becky G, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for essay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essay
Noun
  • After that initial article, three more women came forward alleging Jiang had also assaulted them during massages.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 2 June 2025
  • Related article Trump was just asked about the ‘TACO trade’ for the first time.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • The 15-year-old competitive swimmer from Angleton, Texas, went through aggressive chemo and radiation in an attempt to shrink the avocado-sized tumor.
    Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 4 June 2025
  • Searching for the source of the gunfire, police came upon Baker, who said he and his friend had been fired on during a holdup attempt, and the friend, Hudson, had been wounded.
    John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • In Everyday Work Mission statements sound good, but the real test is whether anyone can see them in action.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • During the test, the H1 was tethered by its head for safety, a common practice during public demonstrations.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • Falling in love is a beautiful process, but try not to ignore the hurdles that come along the way.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • In the Tuesday, June 3 episode, Gilbert recalled getting the role of Laura Ingalls and how her parents tried to keep her life normal despite her star rising.
    Angela Andaloro, People.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Among the experiments to be performed will be studies of the effect of microgravity on the brain—crucial information to have in the run-up to long-term missions to the moon and Mars—as well as similar investigations of how the heart and muscles adapt to space.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 June 2025
  • Then, in March 2006, the five-year experiment was axed because not enough people were using the lane.
    Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • This leads them to strive to inspire others, creating a virtuous cycle that perpetually increases engagement, a sense of purpose, and more.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 3 June 2025
  • The album’s 11 tracks don’t strive to be confessional, just open.
    Janine Schaults, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essay. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on essay

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!