TRYING Synonyms: 139 Similar and Opposite Words

trying 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtrī-iŋ

Definition of trying

as in hard

difficult to endure a harrowing account of the trying conditions experienced by the climbers before they were rescued

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of try

as in stretching

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in attempting

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 trying

Adjective

When your spouse passes away, this can be a very trying and confusing time. — Thomas Hager, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025 Jax is in the middle of his most trying experience since his rookie season. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025

Verb

Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are reportedly booking flights home to vote - and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is trying to keep at least some of them grounded. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026 The main goal is to try to cool down prices by trying to get people and businesses to think more carefully about their spending. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trying

Recent Examples of Synonyms for trying

Adjective

Their furrows reminded me of Rembrandt’s paintings of old men, brows carved deep by hard use and long years.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Since then, his settings have become harder to locate in the contemporary world.

— Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of hard

Verb

Beth Israel was a flagship of American Judaism, its origins stretching back to 1844, when Texas was still an independent republic.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Standard assays for measuring plastic breakdown are exceptionally slow because solid PET plastic resists dissolution, stretching testing timelines across several days.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of stretching

Verb

Stokes was previously involved in case in front of the Connecticut Supreme Court after prosecutors charged him with attempting to tamper with the jury in his second murder trial.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026
Emails attempting to reach the Bears and NFL for comment were not returned, and that's understandable.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of attempting

Adjective

North of the Thai capital Bangkok, rice farmers like 55-year-old Boonmark Marksuuk are already facing tough choices.

— EDNA TARIGAN, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
Zahnd, first elected in 2002, had a career defined by high-profile cases and solidified Platte County’s tough-on-crime reputation.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of tough

Verb

Leo Your ego clashes with others, often pushing you to prove a point impatiently and restlessly.

— Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026
Goolsbee also noted that forecasters had spent more than a year pushing back the date when inflation was supposed to peak and start falling.

— Chloe Taylor,Sean Conlon, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of pushing

Adjective

Every time our case is in the news, I am returned to that terrible day and the searing pain of the weeks, months and years that followed.

— Sharon Risher, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
In some ways, their combination of searing serves and counter-punching defense was revolutionary.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026