essay 1 of 2

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

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2
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

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essay

2 of 2

verb

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

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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
My curls at age 2 and age 15 However, at least as far as the public was aware, Swift was well beyond puberty, was not with child, and was likely too young be experiencing perimenopause or menopause (the aforementioned essay was about turning 30). Sam Reed, Glamour, 11 Apr. 2025 Image In the last 35 years of the 20th century, inspired by a Life magazine essay picturing Roman masks and busts, Asawa cast the faces of at least 600 people. Hilarie M. Sheets, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Ashutosh Rana essays the role of Kaushal’s uncle, Maratha general Hambirrao Mohite, in the film. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 Salmaan essays the lead role of Baskhar in Venky Atluri’s Lucky Baskhar. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for essay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essay
Noun
  • This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter.
    Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Portions of this article were included in another piece published on June 1, 2023.
    Dennis W. Jansen, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Trump's probe, announced on Tuesday, is viewed as an attempt to push back on leading critical minerals producer China, and comes on top of reviews into pharmaceutical and chip imports.
    Anmol Choubey, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Cats are also known to not only knock but ring doorbells in an attempt at getting inside.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The test ahead is what Bessent will do if investors become more concerned that tariffs will harm the U.S. and global economy.
    Nick Sargen, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The eye test likely was enough to diagnose what this Heat team, at 37-45, is lacking heading into a dreary 9-10 elimination play-in game at Chicago on Wednesday and an offseason that could begin as early as Thursday.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • President Donald Trump and his allies in power are trying to erect an authoritarian Mafia state like the one Vladimir Putin and his cronies established in Russia.
    Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Nico Williams will try to get Athletic Club's offensive attack going in this matchup.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The failure of the Watson experiment has left the Browns with limited salary-cap flexibility, so Flacco returning with a $4 million base salary helps the team in the short term.
    Zac Jackson, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The initial test site is near UC Irvine’s recreation center, with pipes running beneath daycare facilities, and future experiments are planned for UC San Diego’s campus.
    Jesse Kuehn, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • If a cell harbors many black morphogens, for example, and a neighboring cell harbors few of them, then the molecules strive to move such that they are distributed as evenly as possible.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The school could strive for excellence and integrity while doing fewer things.
    Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essay. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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