try on

verb

tried on; trying on; tries on

transitive verb

1
: to put on (a garment) in order to test the fit
2
: to use or test experimentally
try-on
ˈtrī-ˌȯn How to pronounce try on (audio)
-ˌän
noun

Examples of try on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
And now, after 30 years of tumult and triumph, Bryan is trying on actual adulthood. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026 One of the first to try on that hat was the agency's Perseverance rover on Mars, which used machine learning to plan and complete its first drive on the Red Planet using routes mapped out by generative AI in December 2025. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Because even in the age of e-commerce, there’s something rather irresistible about trying on a very expensive piece of jewelry. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026 How virtual try on works Experimentation with virtual fitting kiosks first began in the 1990s, but the early versions weren’t realistic enough to be commercially viable, according to Photta. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for try on

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of try on was in 1664

Rhymes for try on

See All Rhymes for try on

Browse Nearby Words

tryna
try on
try one's best/hardest
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Try on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/try%20on. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

try on

verb
: to put on (as a garment) in order to test the fit
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All