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

In 2019, the state declined to retry the case, citing witness deaths and diminished memories. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

After a month of deliberations and two hung juries, then-Los Angeles District Attorney Gil Garcetti announced that the brothers would be retried. —Christina Coulter, Fox News, 12 Oct. 2024

Noun

An issue loading methane propellant into the lunar lander during Tuesday night preparations for a planned early Wednesday liftoff forced SpaceX to halt launch operations and push to retry for what would be the second day of a three-day window this month. —Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2024

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

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