retry

1 of 2

verb

re·​try (ˌ)rē-ˈtrī 

retried; retrying

1

transitive + intransitive : to try (something) again to see if it is successful, working, or satisfactory

He retried downloading the program.

Turn the device and the router off for at least ten seconds, then turn them back on and retry the connection.

—Ankit Banerjee

a restaurant that might be worth retrying

After a certain number of failed attempts, the system will stop retrying.

2

transitive law : to try (someone or something) judicially for a second time

Prosecutors decided to retry the case.

retry a defendant

He was retried on the manslaughter charge.

retry

2 of 2

noun

re·​try ˈrē-ˌtrī 

plural retries

: a new attempt or try

The website loaded on the third retry.

Examples of retry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

As first reported by the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s trial verdict on Thursday, determining that the decision to retry Smollett (after charges against him were initially dropped in 2019) violated the actor’s rights. —Rebecca Iannucci, TVLine, 21 Nov. 2024

He was being retried by the Justice Department after a first jury deadlocked on both counts, ending in a mistrial, in November 2023. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2024

Noun

Carroll looked to have the advantage in the seventh round of the shootout when Geller stopped a shot by Prosper’s Reagan Roberts, but Geller was ruled to have left the line too early and Roberts’ retry was true to put the Eagles up 5-4. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024

On March 6, Ms. Egwuatu and Mr. Onuoha and their 350 guests, including 11 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, gathered at Houston’s Holy Trinity Cathedral for a retry. —New York Times, 2 Apr. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1960, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

retry

transitive verb

re·​try

ˌrē-ˈtrī

retried; retrying

: to try again