as in hard
difficult to endure
a harrowing account of the trying conditions experienced by the climbers before they were rescued
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in stretching
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
you're trying my patience
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in attempting
to make an effort to do
try to unlock the door will try to call later tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of trying
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
But agricultural leaders see this year as one of the industry’s most trying periods, beset by economic and political factors that could significantly reduce production.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 15 Jan. 2026
Kittle was trying to encourage his teammates as he was being carted off, clapping in their direction.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trying
Adjective
Jax is in the middle of his most trying experience since his rookie season.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
But agricultural leaders see this year as one of the industry’s most trying periods, beset by economic and political factors that could significantly reduce production.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
Verb
Snag this luxurious quarter-zip option, and start trying outfit combinations, yourself.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 15 Jan. 2026
Kittle was trying to encourage his teammates as he was being carted off, clapping in their direction.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trying
Adjective
-
Shouldn’t even be that hard to sharpen the blasted thing, let alone twist it.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Jones raved about his consistency, intelligence, hard work and athleticism.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Along with the inevitable post-Craig identity crisis, there’s been a corporate reshuffling, with the Broccolis handing over the series to Amazon, stretching the current Bond gap into its fifth year, inviting more rumormongering than usual.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
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After analyzing data collected by the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) in the Netherlands and India’s Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (uGMRT), researchers say there is undeniable evidence of multiple eruptions stretching deep into the universe’s past.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On one hand, some argue that Good was attempting to leave the scene, and a trigger-happy ICE agent fired his weapon at her, an abuse of authority.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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Rushing to get on board with your carry-on may seem like a good idea (there’s only so much overhead bin space, after all), but attempting to take shortcuts during the boarding process can actually delay your travels even more.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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After a rocky two years, the luxury industry is expected to carry its third-quarter recovery into Q4, despite some tough comparables.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
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That hope ended on July 3, 2025 when Michael, the charismatic tough guy actor known for his memorable roles in Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs, died of cardiac arrest at 67 years old after a long struggle with alcoholism.—
Liz McNeil,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kennedy Botts with Sisters PGH, a nonprofit serving the Black transgender community, is pushing back on that argument.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Friends of the Everglades is pushing for 160 square miles of additional conservation land in the Everglades Agricultural Area, to create space for 1 million more acre-feet of water storage.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Those are the priorities Cronin respects, the mindset each Bruin needs to build the culture of toughness Cronin’s striving for.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than striving for the common good, governing became a matter of navigating a legal maze, interrupted at will by naysayers.—
Philip K. Howard,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In addition to telling the stories of several veterans, the film also examines how the Greatest Generation’s searing experiences of World War II, the Holocaust and the battle against fascism in Europe shaped American culture from the late 1940s to the present day.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
15 Jan. 2026
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Stone’s pass from the left corner of the zone toward the middle of the blue line found Marner, who skated into a vast expanse to deliver a searing wrister from the inner part of the right circle.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With belt-cinching streamers straining to do more with less, sloppy vibe calibration has become a common problem.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Even in states like Texas, which opted not to expand its Medicaid program and continued to rely on counties to care for many of its uninsured, rising health care costs are straining local budgets.—
KFF Health News,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trying. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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