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
Similarly, Meghan and Harry have been candid about their parenting journey; in November 2020, Meghan penned an emotional essay about suffering a miscarriage months earlier, when Archie was just a year old. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Zuckerberg, Amodei and the rest are writing to each other—a closed loop of founders, investors and the reporters who cover them, each essay answering the last. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 13 Aug. 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
  • Excellent article about Glen’s failures last year and the causes of them.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Tuesday’s article is another cautionary tale to not read too much into this market’s conflicting cross currents and to take it all with a grain of salt.
    — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of article
Noun
  • The family was in the middle of a cookout when Silvia arrived, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile, authorities said Silvia retrieved the shotgun from his truck and shot the two women.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • First, Murdock recognized the Falcons setting up a screen and then shook off a block attempt by the pulling center and dropped running back Tyler Goodson for no gain.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of attempt
Noun
  • Investigators said Smith requested a test drive, then pushed a salesperson away and drove off in the vehicle.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The real test is not whether an e-bike can travel an impressive distance on paper.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of test
Verb
  • In a time when destinations are trying to achieve their tourism sustainability goals with master plans, Chichibu suggests there might be a different way.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The performances were much needed for a team trying to avoid exhausting its pitching staff by October.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of try
Noun
  • But University of South Dakota researchers in 2023 published the results of an experiment — using blood capsules with an artificial skin — that demonstrated bedbugs could acquire MRSA during one feeding and spread it during a later one.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Positrons themselves are an active subject of fundamental physics research, including experiments that have recently observed wave behavior in positronium.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of experiment
Verb
  • The league will strive to avoid the potential unintended consequences referenced above.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Exclusion generates the prestige toward which unpaid labors strive.
    — M. C. Mah, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 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 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on essay

Nglish: Translation of essay for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about essay

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