essay 1 of 2

noun

ˈe-ˌsā How to pronounce essay (audio)
Definition of essaynext
1
as in article
a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view school essays on what it means to be a patriot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something my first essay at baking a cake did not go well

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in test
a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty a little homemade essay to determine the easiest way to strip the paint from the bookcase

Synonyms & Similar Words

essay

2 of 2

verb

e-ˈsā How to pronounce essay (audio)
as in to attempt
to make an effort to do he had been in gymnastics for some time before he even considered essaying that move

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb essay differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of essay are attempt, endeavor, strive, and try. While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

When might attempt be a better fit than essay?

While the synonyms attempt and essay are close in meaning, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

Where would endeavor be a reasonable alternative to essay?

Although the words endeavor and essay have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

When is strive a more appropriate choice than essay?

While in some cases nearly identical to essay, strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of essay?

Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

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 essay
Noun
Last month, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay calling on the industry to deliberately slow the pace at which AI models gain new capabilities, so that safety work can catch up. — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 However, a representative for Tisdale denied that the essay was about Duff, Moore or Meghan Trainor, according to TMZ. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
Levinthal has contributed paintings for a few of our reviews, most recently a Michael Kazin essay about American history in June last year. — Leanne Shapton, The New York Review of Books, 18 Mar. 2026 In an as-told-to essay for the Wall Street Journal, the H Is for Hawk actress spoke about her love of historical dramas and homes. — Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for essay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essay
  1. article
  2. attempt
  3. test
  4. try
  5. experiment
  6. strive
Noun
  • Information for this article was contributed by Paul Wiseman, Farnoush Amiri and Alex Veiga of The Associated Press and by Pete Schroeder, Ismail Shakil and Saeed Azhar of Reuters.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Guilfoyle’s yearlong tenure in Athens was rocked last month by the first of multiple Journal articles on conduct that has raised alarms among ethics experts and former government officials.
    — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of article
Noun
  • These symptoms may reflect the brain’s attempts to integrate and learn from what happened.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • While traveling with then-President Ronald Reagan in 1981, White House press secretary James Brady was shot during an assassination attempt on the president.
    — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of attempt
Noun
  • Japan's Self-Defense Force has introduced its first long-range Type-25 land-to-ship missile to Yonaguni during the drill, though no test-firing is planned.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Whether this broader metabolic shift can improve psychiatric symptoms is now being put to the test.
    — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of test
Verb
  • When Skinny Neck Tat guy tries to break into her house, Ginger exercises her constitutional right to deadly force.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Underneath the celebrity and the tabloid headlines is someone who’s vulnerable, funny and desperately trying to hold her life together.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of try
Noun
  • The point of the experiment isn’t just to produce a better result.
    — Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Smaller experiments might include briefly leaving the phone at home, or making a low-stakes decision without asking others for reassurance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of experiment
Verb
  • Local government and outside groups have long strived to ban the popular tourist attraction that critics argue is harmful to horses’ well-being.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Stores plan to be thriving Hispanic community hubs Amor Collective will strive to be an event space beyond just meetings and workshops.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of strive

Browse Nearby Words

esquires
essay
essayed
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Cite this Entry

“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essay. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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