try to beat that

USAGE SUMMARY

"try to beat that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to challenge someone to do better than the previous accomplishment. For example: "I just ran a mile in 8 minutes. Try to beat that!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Then, the next day, try to beat that record.

The Guardian - Opinion

And while Mr. Tourre's case has been scheduled for three weeks, the judge said she would try to beat that timetable.

The New York Times

"It's definitely shocking; I usually have four by myself," said Westbrook, who was the only Thunder starter with a turnover in Game 1. "It's going to be hard to come back and try to beat that," he added.

The New York Times - Sports

'You begin to understand what you are looking for in a relationship - the pursuit of happiness, or truth or beauty, some enlightenment, and why we often try to beat that out of our partner which is unfair..

The Guardian - Film

They're so confident in the business model, that Burstly will give developers a no risk guarantee: the publisher submits a floor eCPM and Burstly will run impressions and try to beat that— if they can't do that they'll pay double the difference at the end of each month.

TechCrunch

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Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

We've been told that the Star Wars world premiere had 800 cinemas and we're trying to beat that".

The Guardian - Film

Trying to beat that system, Mr. Woodford rallied support among Olympus's foreign shareholders, setting up a proxy fight with the board.

The New York Times

"I think the current fastest time is about six months, so we're trying to beat that by a factor of two or three," said team member Adler Smith '17, a mechanical engineering major.

Cornell University

"We'll keep trying to beat that horse," said the trainer Nick Zito after his A P Valentine matched his runner-up finish in the Preakness in the Belmont.

The New York Times - Sports

"Computers want to make everything perfect, they want to make everything shiny and clean and polished, and we're always trying to beat that out of them," said Hal Hickel, the animation director of "Rango".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "try to beat that" when you want to challenge someone to improve upon a specific achievement or performance. It's suitable for both friendly competition and serious goals.

Common error

Avoid using "try to beat that" in situations where improvement or competition is not the intended meaning. For instance, if you're simply conveying information, use a more neutral phrase.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "try to beat that" is an imperative, specifically a challenge or an invitation to surpass a previously set standard or accomplishment. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is a usable phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Wiki

25%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Science

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "try to beat that" is a grammatically correct phrase used to issue a challenge or invite improvement upon a prior achievement. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is valid and useful in written English. Its informal to neutral tone makes it suitable for everyday communication and competitive scenarios. While common in News & Media and Wiki sources, it's less frequently found in formal academic writing. Related phrases like "attempt to surpass that" or "aim to exceed that" can offer a more formal alternative when needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beat that if you can

Adds a conditional tone of difficulty or doubt to the challenge.

attempt to surpass that

Replaces "try to beat" with a more formal synonym, "attempt to surpass".

aim to exceed that

Uses "aim to exceed" to convey a goal of going beyond the previous achievement.

surpass that record

Replaces "beat" with "surpass" and adds "record" to emphasize a previously set achievement.

strive to outdo that

Emphasizes effort with "strive" and uses "outdo" to mean surpassing.

endeavor to top that

Presents a more formal approach with "endeavor" and uses "top" as a simple synonym for beat.

challenge yourself to better that

Focuses on self-improvement by directly challenging oneself.

see if you can improve upon that

Poses a question implying a challenge to improve the prior result.

can you outstrip that

Uses 'outstrip' to suggest exceeding a previous performance.

exceed that benchmark

Uses 'exceed' and replaces 'that' with 'benchmark' for a slightly more formal tone.

FAQs

How can I use "try to beat that" in a sentence?

You can use "try to beat that" to challenge someone after stating a fact about yourself. For instance, "I finished the race in under 4 hours, "try to beat that"!"

What's a less informal way to say "try to beat that"?

For a less informal approach, consider using phrases like "attempt to surpass that" or "aim to exceed that". These alternatives convey the same meaning with a more professional tone.

Is "try to beat that" grammatically correct?

Yes, "try to beat that" is grammatically correct. It uses a standard verb construction to express a challenge or invitation to improve upon a prior achievement.

What is the difference between "try to beat that" and "try to equal that"?

"Try to beat that" implies surpassing a previous record or achievement, while "try to equal that" suggests matching it. The choice depends on whether the goal is to exceed or simply match the previous result.