retried; retrying
1
transitive + intransitive : to try (something) again to see if it is successful, working, or satisfactory
He retried downloading the program.
Turn the device and the router off for at least ten seconds, then turn them back on and retry the connection.Ankit Banerjee
a restaurant that might be worth retrying
After a certain number of failed attempts, the system will stop retrying.
2
transitive law : to try (someone or something) judicially for a second time
Prosecutors decided to retry the case.
retry a defendant
He was retried on the manslaughter charge.
plural retries
: a new attempt or try
The website loaded on the third retry.

Examples of retry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The ruling sends the case back to San Mateo County, where the district attorney’s office will have 60 days from the date the ruling was finalized to decide whether to retry the case, said San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe. Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 In June, the three-judge panel issued a full opinion in the case ruling the feds are free to retry McClain and Pramaggiore. Hannah Meisel, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
These include retry limits, rate controls, circuit breakers and dependency protection mechanisms. Sibasis Padhi, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026 For example, when a task failed mid-action, such as picking up an object unsuccessfully, the system could recognize the failure and retry without prior training on that specific scenario. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retry

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retry was circa 1673

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Cite this Entry

“Retry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retry. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Legal Definition

retry

transitive verb
re·​try
ˌrē-ˈtrī
retried; retrying
: to try again
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