Essay — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈe-ˌsā/ (noun) /e-ˈsā/ (verb) es·say

Meaning & Definition of Essay

Essay (noun)

  1. an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view
  2. something resembling such a composition
  3. effort, attempt; especially, an initial tentative effort

Essay (verb)

  1. to make an often tentative or experimental effort to perform, try
  2. to put to a test

Essay (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view

    "school essays on what it means to be a patriot"

    similar: article, composition, paper, theme
    related: causerie, column, commentary, editorial, feature, report, review, write-up, dissertation, thesis, tract, treatise, discourse, discussion, exposition, prolegomenon, study

  2. an effort to do or accomplish something

    "my first essay at baking a cake did not go well"

    similar: assay (archaic), attempt, bash (chiefly British), bid, crack, endeavor, fling, go, offer, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, whack, whirl
    related: striving, struggle, throes, undertaking, trial and error

  3. a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty

    "a little homemade essay to determine the easiest way to strip the paint from the bookcase"

    similar: experiment, experimentation, test, trial
    related: trial and error, dry run, shakedown, exercise, practice, rehearsal, tryout, workout, crucible, ordeal, attempt, effort, try

Essay (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make an effort to do

    "he had been in gymnastics for some time before he even considered essaying that move"

    similar: assay, attempt, endeavor, seek, strive, try, have a go at, shoot at, try one's hand (at)
    related: fight, strain, struggle, toil, trouble, work, aim, aspire, hope, assume, take up, undertake
    near: drop, give up, quit

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Essay

The most common words with a similar meaning to Essay:

Archaic: assay
Chiefly British: bash
article, composition, paper, theme, attempt, bid, crack, endeavor, fling, go, offer, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, whack, whirl, experiment, experimentation, test, seek, strive, have a go at, shoot at, try one's hand (at)

Related Words for Essay

causerie, column, commentary, editorial, feature, report, review, write-up, dissertation, thesis, tract, treatise, discourse, discussion, exposition, prolegomenon, study, striving, struggle, throes, undertaking, trial and error, dry run, shakedown, exercise, practice, rehearsal, tryout, workout, crucible

Near Antonyms of Essay

drop, give up, quit

Word Forms of Essay

Inflections: essayed, essaying, essays

Derived words: essayer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Essay

Middle French essai, ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive agent

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Essay

Words & Phrases Containing Essay

essay question, photo-essay

Frequently Asked Questions about Essay

What does "Essay" mean?

"Essay" means an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Essay"?

Other words for "Essay" include article, composition, paper, theme, assay, attempt, bash and bid. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Essay" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Essay"?

There are 71 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Essay". Common alternatives include article, composition, paper, theme, assay, attempt, bash, bid, crack and endeavor.

How do you use "Essay" in a sentence?

Examples of "Essay" in a sentence: "school essays on what it means to be a patriot"; "my first essay at baking a cake did not go well"; "a little homemade essay to determine the easiest way to strip the paint from the bookcase".

Is "Essay" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Essay" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Essay" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Essay" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Essay"?

"Essay" is pronounced /ˈe-ˌsā/ as a noun and /e-ˈsā/ as a verb and divided into syllables as es·say.

What is the origin of the word "Essay"?

"Essay" comes from Middle French essai, ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive agent. First known use: 14th century.