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Definitions

essay

[es-ey, es-ey, e-sey, e-sey] / ˈɛs eɪ, ˈɛs eɪ, ɛˈseɪ, ɛˈseɪ /
NOUN
written discourse
Synonyms
STRONGEST
article discussion dissertation manuscript paper piece study thesis treatise
STRONG
composition disquisition explication exposition theme tract
Antonyms
WEAK
idleness pass
NOUN
try, attempt
Synonyms
STRONG
aim bid effort endeavor exertion experiment hassle labor shot striving struggle test toil travail trial tryout undertaking venture whack work
WEAK
dry run one's all one's level best try on
Antonyms
STRONG
entertainment fun idleness laziness pastime peace
WEAK
pass
VERB
try, attempt
Synonyms
STRONG
aim assay endeavor labor offer seek strive struggle test toil travail undertake venture work
WEAK
have a crack have a go have a shot have at it make a run at put to the test take a stab at take a whack at take on try out
Antonyms
STRONG
forget idle laze neglect relax rest
WEAK
be idle pass

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.

“It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right,” he wrote External link in Resistance to Civil Government, the essay known as Civil Disobedience.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

In a sprawling essay titled “In Search of Anti-Semitism,” Bill summed up the matter this way:

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Then came his 1849 essay, later read by people like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

I’m not here to excuse this essay or deliver some platitude about separating art from the artist.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

In 1752 David Hume published an essay, ‘Of the Populousness of Ancient Nations’, pointing out that the figures we find in classical texts are meaningless.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Vocabulary lists containing essay

PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)

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