give something a try

verb

To try or attempt something.

“I always wanted to give windsurfing a try. I reckon it could be fun.”

Similar
give something a whirlgive something a gogive something a lashgive something a shotgive it one's best shotgive something the old college tryhave a gohave a stab
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbgive something a try (third-person singular simple present gives something a try, present participle giving something a try, simple past gave something a try, past participle given something a try)

present singular third person gives something a try · participle present giving something a try · past gave something a try · participle past given something a try

  1. idiomaticinformalTo try or attempt something.

    I always wanted to give windsurfing a try. I reckon it could be fun.

    Synonyms: give something a whirl, give something a go, give something a lash, give something a shot, give it one's best shot, give something the old college try, have a go, have a stab

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo try or attempt something.

Similar
give something a whirlgive something a gogive something a lashgive something a shotgive it one's best shotgive something the old college tryhave a gohave a stabhave a crack at
Also see
give something a gogive something a lashgive something a shottake a stab at

Translations

German ausprobieren
  • ausprobierenIdiom for to give something a try
Māori karawhiu
  • karawhiuIdiom for to give something a try
Cite this entry
APA

give something a try. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20something%20a%20try

MLA

“give something a try.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20something%20a%20try. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give something a try,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20something%20a%20try.

Source: give something a try on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.