tried
7 synonyms and 2 antonyms for tried, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Tested repeatedly and proven to be reliable.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
tested
dependable
Antonyms
How to use tried
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
tried and tested
tried and true
Etymology
The past participle of try, from Middle English tried.
Full origin of tried →Frequently asked questions
What does “tried” mean?
The word “tried” means tested repeatedly and proven to be reliable. In plain terms, either "proven reliable through experience" or "taken to court.".
How do you pronounce “tried”?
“Tried” is pronounced tryd (/tɹaɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “tried” in a sentence?
Here is “tried” used in a sentence: “She used a tried and trusted family recipe.”
What part of speech is “tried”?
“Tried” is an adjective.
Where does the word “tried” come from?
The word “tried” comes from Middle English. The past participle of try, from Middle English tried.
Is “tried” a common word?
“Tried” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “tried” have?
“Tried” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: tested repeatedly and proven to be reliable.
What does 'tried and tested' mean?
'Tried and tested' describes something proven to work well through repeated use over time — a tried and tested method is one you can rely on because it has succeeded again and again. The similar phrase 'tried and true' means the same thing. Here 'tried' means tested in practice and found dependable.
What is the difference between 'tried' as an adjective and the past tense of 'try'?
As an adjective, 'tried' means proven reliable through repeated testing — a tried and trusted friend. As the past tense of 'try', it simply means attempted — 'she tried to call.' Same spelling, different jobs: one describes something dependable, the other reports an action that was attempted.
What is the difference between 'tried' and 'trusted'?
The two often appear together as 'tried and trusted.' 'Tried' means tested many times and shown to work; 'trusted' means relied upon with confidence. Something becomes trusted because it has been tried. They reinforce each other — one earns reliability through testing, the other grants it through confidence.
