try to understand him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "try to understand him" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when encouraging someone to make an effort to comprehend another person's feelings, thoughts, or actions. Example: "In discussions about sensitive topics, it's important to try to understand him before jumping to conclusions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Sam suggests they stop calling him Pig & try to understand him.

The New Yorker

We don't need to try to understand him, since we likely never will".

The New Yorker

To do that we look at the enemy's commander and try to understand him.

The Guardian

"He's spent his life trying to understand you and now he thinks you should try to understand him," she says.

The New Yorker

She had felt that she was put on earth for no reason other than to be with him and try to understand him.

The New Yorker

But team officials do not even try to understand him, he complains, and Italian fans demand too much, affording him no private life.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

In the van I'd listen to Chris's stories, trying to understand him.

The Guardian

"I thought, 'Well, he's just got issues.' I was so busy trying to understand him".

The New York Times

Diplomats and journalists in Ankara work away at trying to understand him, but find him hard to read.

The Economist

Throughout my time in Israel I was focused on him and trying to understand him as well as I could.

The New Yorker

He really sees Ben for who he is and tries to understand him and what he wants and tries to help him get that.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "try to understand him", ensure the context clarifies why understanding is important. Is it for conflict resolution, empathy, or something else?

Common error

Don't equate "trying to understand him" with condoning his actions or agreeing with his viewpoints. Understanding aims to comprehend, not necessarily to endorse.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "try to understand him" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose or intention. Ludwig indicates it's used to express the aim of comprehending another person's perspective or motives. It emphasizes the effort involved in achieving understanding.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "try to understand him" is a grammatically correct and purposeful expression used to encourage empathy and comprehension. According to Ludwig AI, it appears most frequently in News & Media and also in Science and Wiki domains. While seemingly simple, it carries the important implication of making an effort to see things from another person's perspective, even when it's challenging. Remember that "trying to understand him" doesn't necessarily mean agreeing with him but rather making a conscious attempt to comprehend his motives, feelings, or viewpoints. For alternative phrasing, consider "attempt to comprehend him" or "make an effort to understand him" to maintain a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempt to comprehend him

Replaces "try" with "attempt" and "understand" with "comprehend", emphasizing a more formal or deliberate effort.

make an effort to understand him

Uses "make an effort" to highlight the exertion required for understanding.

seek to understand him

Replaces "try" with "seek", implying a more proactive and intentional approach.

strive to understand him

Uses "strive" to convey a determined and persistent effort to understand.

endeavor to understand him

Replaces "try" with "endeavor", suggesting a more conscientious and thoughtful attempt.

get to grips with him

Uses a more idiomatic expression, "get to grips with", to mean understand or deal with someone.

see things from his perspective

Shifts the focus to considering his point of view specifically.

put yourself in his shoes

An idiomatic expression emphasizing empathy and understanding by imagining oneself in his situation.

figure him out

Uses the phrasal verb "figure out", which is more informal but maintains the meaning of understanding.

get inside his head

An idiomatic expression signifying an attempt to deeply understand someone's thoughts and feelings.

FAQs

How can I use "try to understand him" in a sentence?

You can use "try to understand him" to encourage empathy or to explain a need for comprehension. For example: "Before you judge, "try to understand him"."

What does it mean to "try to understand him"?

To ""try to understand him"" means to make an effort to comprehend his motives, feelings, or perspective, even if you don't agree with them.

What can I say instead of "try to understand him"?

You can use alternatives like "attempt to comprehend him", "make an effort to understand him", or "see things from his perspective" depending on the context.

Is "try to understand him" the same as agreeing with him?

No, ""try to understand him"" does not mean agreeing with him. It means making an effort to comprehend his viewpoint, which is different from condoning his actions or beliefs.