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.

But lately, growing numbers of preretirees and retirees are giving it the old college try.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Cassidy gave the suck-up routine the old college try, but ultimately, the snake did its snake thing.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2026

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

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2022

Biden almost certainly had some real hope that he could bridge the bipartisan divide when he took office and he was determined to give it the old college try.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2022

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