The Word “Tried”: Definition and Synonyms
Tried – Definition and Part of Speech
The word tried can serve as both a verb and an adjective in English. As a past tense or participle form of the verb try, it indicates that someone made an effort to do something or tested something for effectiveness. For example, “She tried the new recipe last night.” As an adjective, “tried” describes someone who has been subjected to testing or is exhausted and weary: “His patience had been truly tried.”
Core Synonyms (Table Format)
| Synonym | Brief Definition/Nuance | Example Sentence | Style/Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attempted | Indicates effort with an unsuccessful outcome. | “He attempted to solve the problem all night.” | Formal/Casual |
| Sought | Implies searching or trying to obtain something. | “She sought a new way to improve efficiency.” | Business/Informal |
| Efforted | Used in informal speech; emphasizes exertion. | “We really efforted ourselves during the hike.” | Casual |
| Tested | Focuses on examining for quality or performance. | “The software was tested extensively before launch.” | Academic/Formal |
Usage Notes
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Attempted: This synonym is often used when an action did not lead to success, making it suitable for both formal and informal contexts where emphasis is placed on the effort rather than the result.
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Business Writing: “The team attempted a new strategy to increase sales.”
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Sought: When referring to searching for something specific or trying to obtain a goal, “sought” is frequently used in business settings, literature, and formal writing.
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Academic Writing: “Researchers sought innovative methods to analyze the data.”
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Efforted: This is an informal term, often heard in conversational English. It conveys the notion of putting effort into something, usually emphasizing how hard someone worked rather than whether they succeeded.
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Casual Conversation: “I really efforted myself studying for those exams.”
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Tested: Emphasizes evaluation or trial and is common in both formal and academic writing where checking quality, durability, or performance is the focus.
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Creative Writing: “The potion tested her mettle, revealing unexpected courage.”
Common Pitfalls (Optional)
A typical mistake with using “tried” and its synonyms is confusing them with similar verbs like “attempted” when success isn’t implied. For instance, “He tried to lift the heavy box,” focuses on effort without outcome implication, while “He attempted to lift the heavy box” suggests it was not successful. Additionally, in informal contexts, people might mistakenly use non-standard forms like “efforted,” which aren’t found in traditional dictionaries but are understood regionally or contextually.
Final Recap
The word tried can be substituted with a variety of synonyms depending on context and nuance, such as attempted, sought, efforted, and tested. Each carries subtle differences: attempted often suggests unsuccessful efforts, sought implies an active search or pursuit, efforted is informal and emphasizes exertion without formal recognition, while tested focuses on evaluation. By understanding these nuances, you can choose the most appropriate synonym for any situation, enhancing both written and spoken communication.
Encourage yourself to practice using these synonyms in different contexts by writing your own sentences or incorporating them into conversations. This will deepen your vocabulary and improve your ability to express subtle differences in meaning effectively.