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
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Recent Examples of trying
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
Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Iger returned in 2022, but on a shorter leash, in sync with the board of directors about trying to finally go out on the right note.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is demanding the release of four Iranians detained by Kuwait, which suspects them of trying to infiltrate the Persian Gulf nation.
—Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Iger returned in 2022, but on a shorter leash, in sync with the board of directors about trying to finally go out on the right note.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for trying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trying
Adjective
-
The most common reasons cited for detransition were pressure from a parent, harassment or discrimination, and that transitioning was too hard.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
-
Incredibly forgettable and hard to get through.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 700-mile fault stretching from Northern California to British Columbia and separates the Juan de Fuca and North America tectonic plates, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN).—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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Rai said the additional five years, stretching the patent from 2026 to 2031, likely stem from the Hatch-Waxman Act, a 1984 law that allows drugmakers to extend patents by up to five years to make up for time lost moving their drug through clinical trials and the FDA approval process.—
Berkeley Lovelace Jr,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Lytvynchuk was arrested near Seattle last week and charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the Department of Justice.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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He can also be seen attempting to take out what appears to be a yogurt container from the fridge.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Each of those teams will be competing for playoff spots again, leaving the Raiders with no easy divisional wins and a tough out-of-division schedule.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The group did just enough against Sale and a tough Braves bullpen to avoid getting shut out for the third time in five games.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Rough seas and hazardous underwater conditions repeatedly delayed search efforts as crews mapped and marked the cave entrance before pushing deeper inside.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
That’s why Stuart expects the energy crisis will get worse this spring and summer, pushing gas to $5 a gallon as soon as this month.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The world cracked open, and now everyone’s striving to fit the jagged pieces back into a box called civilized society.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
After the shocking results of the 2024 election, seven friends split between Black Democrats and Black Republicans gather for dinner to debate American politics, striving to find common ground over food, drinks, and laughter.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Oscar had shown me pages of this searing fiction periodically.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
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While ferocious heat dominates the region for much of the year, the Sky Islands remain cool thanks to their high elevation, providing the perfect escape from the searing weather below.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Then open the shaker, add ice, and shake good and hard for eight to 10 seconds before straining up.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
-
This type of planning often focuses on helping households manage risk without unnecessarily straining cash flow.—
Wes Moss,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trying. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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