TRIES Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

tries 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of try

as in stretches

to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress you're trying my patience

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in attempts

to make an effort to do try to unlock the door will try to call later tonight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tries

2 of 2

noun

plural of try

as in goes

an effort to do or accomplish something was granted another try at the field goal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 tries

Verb

Seventy thousand law enforcement officers, along with helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons, will be deployed across France as President Emmanuel Macron’s government tries to ward off another weekend of violent protests. — Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Set in their modest ways, the couple tries to settle into their lives in Norway, having moved there after the death of Mihai’s parents to be closer to Lisbet’s family. — Tomris Laffly, Time, 23 Oct. 2026 Investigating the shoot-out is the third-generation sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), who realizes Moss is in danger and tries to track him down. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026 Jenn tries to compliment her, saying she’s gone from living in the casita to being a badass, but Gina cuts her off mid-sentence. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026 James even tries to comfort a distraught Poppy after a breakup. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 Body camera and surveillance footage from the fatal police shooting of a 1-year-old boy show the moments several police officers rush out of a Mississippi Walmart and open fire as a driver accused of shoplifting tries to pull out of the parking lot. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 But none of that martial-arts mayhem is as compelling as the battle being waged behind the scenes as director Kitao Sakurai tries to insert his irreverent, ironic approach into a property resistant to that kind of impish goofing around. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Throughout filming, Fielder tries to convince Evans to change his mind. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026

Noun

Edwards had 18 in that burst, while Miami missed on 11 of 12 3-point tries. — CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Three plays and 4 yards later, Ryland nailed his sixth field goal of the game in six tries, handing the Rams their first loss since 2014 when not allowing a touchdown. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 For example, using a quantum computer to break the current RSA-2048 encryption employed in website security, banking and electronic ID cards would require magic states that would fail only once in 10 billion tries. — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026 Kiffin said his decision to punt was influenced by Kentucky kicker Adam Zouagui missing two short tries earlier in the game. — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026 That’s more victories to close out a tight game (three) in four tries than Sanders has produced (two) over his last 10 opportunities. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026 The Tide moved the ball into the MSU red zone seven times, scoring touchdowns on all seven tries. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Kansas City couldn’t take advantage of the new life, however, as two short-yardage tries at midfield failed, giving the Raiders the ball at the 50. — Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026 For the first time in three tries this season, the Oilers played a low-event hockey game. — Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tries

Verb

Not far from my home on the western shore of Lake Champlain lies the ore bed that in 1875 produced 10 percent of America’s iron ore; the #21 pit, once storied, stretches two hundred feet wide and three hundred feet deep.

— Bill McKibben, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
Its border with Yemen stretches more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) through rugged desert areas.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of stretches

Verb

Some of the movie’s most memorable moments have barely anything to do with the plot, like when Matt discovers his eyelids fusing together and attempts to separate them with nail scissors in the bathroom of a bumpy plane.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
This month, the council held a nine-hour hearing to debate tax proposals, including the BAT, as the council attempts to mitigate budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2028.

— Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of attempts

Verb

The company reincorporated from Delaware to Texas in 2024, and its charter pushes shareholder claims into mandatory arbitration and limits derivative suits to investors holding at least 3% of the stock—a stake worth tens of billions of dollars.

— Heather Occhino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other fortifications to what’s already one of the world’s most heavily armed borders as Kim Jong Un pushes a hard line toward Seoul.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of pushes

Verb

In so doing, the tradition could achieve for ASL what the word of the year strives to achieve for English.

— New York Times, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Said soup is being attended to by at least four cooks, as Hal (with helpful coaching by an off-camera Kate) strives to explain himself to Grace back at the embassy, and then the two of them work to get Eidra on-side.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of strives

Verb

As possibly the most thrilling option in the entire park, the free-fall station tests visitors’ bravery.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
This week’s challenge tests your knowledge of distinctive objects that are connected to a particular novel, like the Maltese falcon or the One Ring.

— J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of tests

Verb

For now, the vouchers remain available while Ohio seeks Supreme Court review.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
In addition to responding to real-time emergencies, the Street Overdose Response Team seeks to establish relationships with people on the street using drugs.

— Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026