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
That’s a very interesting way to start a craft essay. Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025 In this essay, scholar Michele Filippini lays out Gramsci’s framework, with the help of his Prison Notebooks, written between 1932 and 1935. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Deverakonda essays the lead role along side Bhagyashri Bose, Satyadev, Bhoomi Shetty, Baburaj, and Manish Chaudhary. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 But Celeste Wallander, until recently the top defense official overseeing U.S. policy toward Europe and Russia, warns in a new Foreign Affairs essay that this transformation will have more complicated consequences than most Americans expect. Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for essay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essay
Noun
  • Nir Kshetri does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
    Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Information for this article was contributed by Lisa Mascaro and Hannah Fingerhut of The Associated Press.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This story contains graphic descriptions of suicide attempts.
    Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Then, at the end of the episode, Slightly pulls Arthur’s body into a ventilation shaft, in what could be a belated act of regret or an attempt to preserve a Xenomorph host body before any other aliens can eat it.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • In a test setting, the fluid enabled a battery pack to be charged from 10% to 80% capacity in under ten minutes.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Then there were those epic Pac-12 shindigs, when Harbaugh was trying to resurrect the Stanford program and Carroll was pulling the levels during one of USC’s glory eras, with the advantage going to Harbaugh, 2-1.
    Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Through these tactics, Iftiu is trying to pay forward the generosity he's received within the system.
    William Jones, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In such cases, an AI assistant will be vital for decision-making, monitoring health, and guiding experiments.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Dcientists at the University of Melbourne and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem discoverd this after used powerful imaging tools that can zoom into cells in 3D, alongside genetic experiments.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Chronic striving has its downsides, though.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
  • When multiple businesses strive to outdo each other, the result is better products, improved services and more choices for consumers.
    Levi King, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essay. Accessed 17 Sep. 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!