costly try

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "costly try" is not standard in written English and may be confusing to readers.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize that an attempt or effort has significant financial implications or consequences. Example: "Investing in that startup was a costly try, as we lost a substantial amount of money."

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But to paraphase something often said about education and ignorance, if you think diplomacy is costly, try war.

The Guardian

If the stuffed sheep is a common stuffed animal, but very costly, try looking in other shops or buying a cheaper one off the Internet.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Now then... 9.41pm GMT 38 mins Costly tries his own version of a creative chip but it just bounces off Bradley.

The Guardian - Sport

10.38pm GMT 78 mins Costly tries an inventive hooked ball round Chandler, who he's been annoying, rather than tormenting, all game, but to little effect.

The Guardian - Sport

"It would be very costly to try to impose your will on another individual because they'll fight back".

The New York Times - Science

Testing medicines is enormously costly: to try and do the same with herbal cures would quickly bankrupt the smaller firms that make them.

The Economist

Something similar happened against New Zealand at Twickenham: down went the kick-off and a costly early try by Julian Savea was duly conceded.

The Guardian - Sport

At this stage it would be technically difficult and costly to try to stop or delay the filling of the dam lake.

The New York Times

The present work investigates the possibility to design hot forming tools, with acceptable accuracy at short lead times and with minimal need for the costly die try out, using finite element (FE) analyses of hot sheet metal forming in the titanium alloy Ti 6Al 4V.

Journal of Materials Processing Technology

Unfortunately, it is often times costly to try and assess the value of these claims.

Huffington Post

David Beckham, his face twisted with exhaustion, wrapped his arms around the torso of Carlo Costly and tried desperately to wrestle him to the grass.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "costly try" when you want to emphasize not just the attempt itself, but also the significant resources (time, money, effort) that were consumed in the process, especially if the outcome was unfavorable.

Common error

Avoid using "costly try" in situations where a simpler, more neutral phrase like "difficult attempt" or "challenging effort" would suffice. Overusing "costly" can make your writing sound overly dramatic or negative when the situation doesn't warrant it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "costly try" functions as a noun phrase modified by an adjective. The adjective "costly" describes the noun "try", indicating that the attempt or effort involved significant expense, loss, or negative consequences. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase may be confusing and suggest using alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "costly try" describes an attempt or effort that results in significant expense or negative consequences. Ludwig AI describes the phrase as potentially confusing. Grammatically sound but infrequent, it's found in news, wiki and scientific contexts, suggesting a neutral register. As such, when aiming for clarity and impact, consider alternatives like "expensive attempt" or "pricey endeavor" to convey the intended meaning more effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

expensive attempt

Replaces "costly" with a direct synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

pricey endeavor

Substitutes both "costly" and "try" with near-synonyms, slightly altering the tone.

high-priced effort

Uses a more descriptive adjective phrase instead of "costly", keeping the core concept.

expensive undertaking

Emphasizes the project-like nature of the attempt, implying a significant investment.

wasteful attempt

Focuses on the negative outcome of the "try", highlighting the wasted resources.

loss-making venture

Highlights the financial loss from the attempt, indicating a negative return on investment.

unprofitable experiment

Suggests a trial that did not yield the desired financial outcome.

ill-advised effort

Implies that the attempt was not well thought out, leading to negative consequences.

risky gamble

Shifts the focus to the risk involved and the potential for loss.

unwise bid

Suggests the attempt was imprudent, with emphasis on judgment.

FAQs

What does "costly try" mean?

A "costly try" refers to an attempt or effort that results in significant expense, loss, or negative consequences. The cost can be monetary, or it can refer to wasted time or resources.

What can I say instead of "costly try"?

You can use alternatives like "expensive attempt", "pricey endeavor", or "high-priced effort" depending on the context.

How do I use "costly try" in a sentence?

You can use "costly try" to describe a situation where an attempt to do something led to significant negative consequences. For example: "Investing in that startup was a "costly try", as we lost a substantial amount of money."

Is it always negative to refer to something as a "costly try"?

Yes, the phrase "costly try" generally has a negative connotation, as it implies that the attempt resulted in a loss or significant expense. If the attempt was successful, even if it was expensive, it wouldn't typically be described as a "costly try".