- More from M-W
- To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In
Definition of essay
(Entry 1 of 2)
Definition of essay (Entry 2 of 2)
transitive verb
- composition
attempt , try , endeavor , essay , strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.
attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.
try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.
endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.
essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.
strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.
Examples of essay in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle French essai , ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive — more at agent
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Phrases Containing essay
- photo - essay
- essay question
Articles Related to essay
To 'Essay' or 'Assay'?
You'll know the difference if you give it the old college essay
Dictionary Entries Near essay
Cite this entry.
“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essay. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
Kids definition of essay.
Kids Definition of essay (Entry 2 of 2)
More from Merriam-Webster on essay
Nglish: Translation of essay for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of essay for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about essay
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
Can you solve 4 words at once?
Word of the day.
See Definitions and Examples »
Get Word of the Day daily email!
Popular in Grammar & Usage
The tangled history of 'it's' and 'its', more commonly misspelled words, commonly misspelled words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, popular in wordplay, the words of the week - mar. 29, 9 superb owl words, 'gaslighting,' 'woke,' 'democracy,' and other top lookups, 10 words for lesser-known games and sports, your favorite band is in the dictionary, games & quizzes.
- Cambridge Dictionary +Plus
Meaning of essay – Learner’s Dictionary
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
- Have you handed your history essay in yet ?
- There's a few spelling mistakes in your essay.
- I got an A minus for my last essay.
- I read over my essay to check for mistakes .
- I had to rewrite my essay.
(Definition of essay from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Translations of essay
Get a quick, free translation!
Word of the Day
null and void
having no legal force
Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)
Learn more with +Plus
- Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
- Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
- Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
- Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
- English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
- English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
- English–Dutch Dutch–English
- English–French French–English
- English–German German–English
- English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
- English–Italian Italian–English
- English–Japanese Japanese–English
- English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
- English–Polish Polish–English
- English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
- English–Spanish Spanish–English
- English–Swedish Swedish–English
- Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
- Learner’s Dictionary Noun
- Translations
- All translations
Add essay to one of your lists below, or create a new one.
{{message}}
Something went wrong.
There was a problem sending your report.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The meaning of ESSAY is an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view. How to use essay in a sentence.
ESSAY definition: a short piece of writing about a particular subject, especially one written by a student: . Learn more.