college try

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Newcomer Brandon Routh gave rebooting the hero the old college try in 2006’s “Superman Returns,” but the romance-forward nature of the film ironically left audiences cold.

From Salon • Jul. 10, 2025

That said, you can hardly blame Zuckerberg for wanting to give it the old college try.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2022

Social media influencer Olivia Jade will give it the old college try as one of the contestants on a new season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2021

So we might as well give it the old college try.

From Slate • May 19, 2020

Probably he had said to someone to give something the old college try, and that had finished him; that would probably be grounds for expulsion at Harvard.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles