American English pronunciation

How to pronounce essays

IPA transcription: [ɛ'seɪz]

Pronunciation variants: [ɛ'seɪz]['ɛ,seɪz]

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[ɛ'seɪz]

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[ɛ'seɪz]

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Noun

  • an analytic or interpretive literary composition

  • a tentative attempt

Verb

  • make an effort or attempt

    “He tried to shake off his fears”

    “The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps”

    “The police attempted to stop the thief”

    “He sought to improve himself”

    “She always seeks to do good in the world”

  • put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

    “This approach has been tried with good results”

    “Test this recipe”

Usage examples

  • The title came from a series of essays by Samuel Johnson.
  • He went on to write several more essays and books on the subject.
  • The book also contained essays by writer Adam Gopnik and historian John R. Stilgoe.
  • Before that he had published only essays.
  • Fuchs also wrote short stories and personal essays, mainly for "The New Yorker".
  • After that, he published many poems, and also regularly published essays.
  • He came back to writing with essays on cultural issues.
  • Applicants are evaluated holistically based on letters of recommendation, essays, transcripts, and a resume.
  • I have three essays due in the next week.
  • She also wrote many humorous magazine essays, typically about her family.