How to pronounce try
Say it like TRY. Try is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce try. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TRY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Try pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of try
American and British speakers say try in essentially the same way: /traɪ/ in the US and /traɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: TRY.
What does try mean?
- make an effort or attempt“He tried to shake off his fears”“The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps”
- put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to“This approach has been tried with good results”“Test this recipe”
- put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of“The football star was tried for the murder of his wife”“The judge tried both father and son in separate trials”
- earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something“made an effort to cover all the reading material”“wished him luck in his endeavor”
Where does try come from?
Replaced native Middle English cunnen (“to try”) (from Old English cunnian), Middle English fandien (“to try, prove”) (from Old English fandian), and Middle English costnien (“to try, tempt, test”) (from Old English costnian).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with try
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of try.
Questions about saying try
How do you pronounce try?
Say TRY. The American pronunciation is /traɪ/. In British English it is /traɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in try?
Try is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TRY.
Do Americans and Brits say try the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /traɪ/ and the British form is /traɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.