Synonyms of essays

essays 1 of 2

noun

plural of essay

1

as in articles

a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view

school essays on what it means to be a patriot

Synonyms & Similar Words

• articles
• papers
• themes
• dissertations
• editorials
• treatises
• commentaries
• compositions
• columns
• reports
• features
• studies
• theses
• write-ups
• reviews
• discourses
• discussions
• tracts
• causeries
• prolegomena
• expositions

2

as in attempts

an effort to do or accomplish something

my first essay at baking a cake did not go well

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attempts
• tries
• goes
• endeavors
• stabs
• bids
• assays
• shots
• offers
• trials
• passes
• undertakings
• flings
• strivings
• cracks
• struggles
• bashes
• whacks
• whirls
• throes
• trial and errors

3

as in tests

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

• tests
• experiments
• experimentations
• trials
• efforts
• tries
• exercises
• practices
• attempts
• rehearsals
• ordeals
• workouts
• tryouts
• crucibles
• trial and errors
• dry runs
• shakedowns

essays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of essay

as in tries

to make an effort to do

he had been in gymnastics for some time before he even considered essaying that move

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attempts
• tries
• strives
• endeavors
• assays
• seeks
• has a go at
• shoots at
• works
• struggles
• hopes
• troubles
• tries one's hand (at)
• toils
• aims
• fights
• undertakes
• strains
• aspires
• takes up
• assumes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• drops
• gives up
• quits

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of essays

Noun

Artificial intelligence has complicated the reliability of admissions essays. — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Woolf composed her great modernist novels and her brilliant essays while troubled by suicidal thoughts and the tumult of two world wars. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 1 July 2026

The couple published the journal’s first issue in July 1976, which included notes from the editors, essays and poems. — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2026

It was also published as a booklet, in another journal, and included in an anthology of Planck’s essays and lectures. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 28 June 2026

The new list contains around 200 texts, including Bible passages, essays and books, far in excess of that requirement. — Jamie Stengle, Arkansas Online, 27 June 2026

And for me that was, yeah, David Foster Wallace’s nonfiction essays. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026

Individuals are writing essays, organizing workshops, and debating in journals, while institutions and community groups are developing guidelines for how AI should be used in research and publication. — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 25 June 2026

Much of that is due to this pioneering collection of essays, which became a guiding volume during the Civil Rights Movement and is still widely read today. — Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 25 June 2026

Verb

In the film, Bajpayee plays the police officer while Jim Sarbh essays the role of the killer who goes by the fictional name Carl Bhojraj. — Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025