Trying hard means not giving up, even when things get tough. People often use special phrases called idioms to talk about effort. These idioms make our words more fun and easier to understand. They show how people feel when they are working hard or facing challenges. Learning these idioms helps us talk about trying in creative ways.
In this article, we’ll explore idioms that describe what it means to try your best. These idioms come from everyday life and are easy to use. You’ll see how they help explain hard work, patience, and never giving up. They also help us feel better when things don’t go right the first time. Let’s take a look at these phrases and what they mean.
Idioms About Trying
1. Give it your all
Meaning: Try your best.
Example Sentence:
• She gave it her all in the spelling bee.
• He gave it his all during baseball tryouts.
Other ways to say: Do your best, go all out
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from sports, where players give everything they have.
Usage: When someone puts all their energy into doing something.
2. Pull out all the stops
Meaning: Try everything possible to succeed.
Example Sentence:
• We pulled out all the stops to decorate for the school dance.
• He pulled out all the stops to make his science project great.
Other ways to say: Try every trick, go all out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from organ music, where pulling all stops makes the sound louder.
Usage: When someone uses every method to do their best.
3. Bend over backward
Meaning: Try very hard to help or do something.
Example Sentence:
• She bent over backward to help her friend with homework.
• He bent over backward to clean his room before the party.
Other ways to say: Go out of your way, work extra hard
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of stretching far to show effort.
Usage: Used when someone goes beyond what’s expected.
4. Give it a shot
Meaning: Try something even if you’re unsure.
Example Sentence:
• I’ve never skated, but I’ll give it a shot.
• He gave soccer a shot and ended up loving it.
Other ways to say: Try it, take a chance
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from aiming and firing in sports or games.
Usage: When someone attempts something new or difficult.
5. Go the extra mile
Meaning: Do more than expected.
Example Sentence:
• She went the extra mile by baking cookies for the class.
• He went the extra mile and added drawings to his report.
Other ways to say: Do more, put in extra effort
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from Roman soldiers who carried gear one more mile.
Usage: When someone does more than what was needed.
6. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning: Try everything to solve a problem.
Example Sentence:
• We left no stone unturned looking for the lost puppy.
• She left no stone unturned while studying for the test.
Other ways to say: Check everywhere, try every way
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old treasure hunts where every rock was checked.
Usage: Used when trying hard to find or fix something.
7. Try your hand at
Meaning: Try doing something for the first time.
Example Sentence:
• I tried my hand at painting last weekend.
• He tried his hand at baking cookies.
Other ways to say: Give it a go, give it a try
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from using your hand to try a new task.
Usage: Used when testing a new activity or skill.
8. Keep at it
Meaning: Don’t stop trying.
Example Sentence:
• Keep at it, and you’ll finish the puzzle!
• She kept at it until she learned to ride her bike.
Other ways to say: Don’t give up, keep trying
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom means sticking with something even when it’s hard.
Usage: Used for encouragement when someone is struggling.
9. Put your heart into it
Meaning: Try with a lot of emotion and care.
Example Sentence:
• She put her heart into her music performance.
• He put his heart into making the birthday card.
Other ways to say: Care deeply, give full effort
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that love or care comes from the heart.
Usage: Used when someone works with true feeling or passion.
10. Try and try again
Meaning: Keep trying even after failing.
Example Sentence:
• He tried and tried again until he solved the math problem.
• She tried and tried again to climb the monkey bars.
Other ways to say: Keep trying, don’t quit
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Usage: Used to show determination.
11. Hang in there
Meaning: Keep going even when it’s hard.
Example Sentence:
• Hang in there! You’re almost done with the puzzle.
• She told her friend to hang in there during the tough week.
Other ways to say: Don’t give up, stay strong
Fun Fact/Origin: Became popular in the 1970s with a kitten poster saying “Hang in there.”
Usage: Said to someone who is going through something difficult.
12. Put your back into it
Meaning: Use all your strength and effort.
Example Sentence:
• He put his back into lifting the heavy box.
• She put her back into cleaning the garage.
Other ways to say: Work hard, give full effort
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of using your whole body to do a job.
Usage: Used when physical effort is needed.
13. Give it a whirl
Meaning: Try something to see if you like it.
Example Sentence:
• I’ve never played tennis, but I’ll give it a whirl.
• She gave skating a whirl and had fun.
Other ways to say: Try it out, take a spin
Fun Fact/Origin: “Whirl” means spin, like trying something for a quick go.
Usage: Used for trying new things in a fun way.
14. Stick with it
Meaning: Keep doing something, even if it’s hard.
Example Sentence:
• He stuck with piano lessons and got better.
• She stuck with her reading even when it was tough.
Other ways to say: Keep going, stay with it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of glue — staying connected to a task.
Usage: Encouragement to keep going.
15. Throw yourself into
Meaning: Start something with a lot of energy.
Example Sentence:
• He threw himself into building the model airplane.
• She threw herself into learning to swim.
Other ways to say: Dive into, go all in
Fun Fact/Origin: Like jumping into a pool, it means starting with full effort.
Usage: Used when someone begins with strong energy.
16. See it through
Meaning: Finish something even if it’s tough.
Example Sentence:
• He saw the project through until the end.
• She saw the book through, even though it was long.
Other ways to say: Finish, complete
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from watching something from start to finish.
Usage: When someone completes a task without quitting.
17. Break a sweat
Meaning: Work hard at something.
Example Sentence:
• She broke a sweat cleaning her room.
• He broke a sweat mowing the lawn.
Other ways to say: Work hard, put in effort
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how your body sweats when you work hard.
Usage: Used for physical or intense effort.
18. Keep plugging away
Meaning: Keep trying slowly and steadily.
Example Sentence:
• He kept plugging away at his homework.
• She kept plugging away at her drawing.
Other ways to say: Keep at it, don’t stop
Fun Fact/Origin: “Plugging” means steady work over time.
Usage: When someone works hard, little by little.
19. Roll up your sleeves
Meaning: Get ready to work hard.
Example Sentence:
• Let’s roll up our sleeves and clean the yard.
• She rolled up her sleeves to help bake cookies.
Other ways to say: Get to work, get started
Fun Fact/Origin: People used to roll up sleeves to do tough jobs.
Usage: When someone is ready to begin working.
20. Shoot for the stars
Meaning: Aim high or try for big goals.
Example Sentence:
• He shot for the stars and ran for class president.
• She shot for the stars by entering the art contest.
Other ways to say: Aim high, dream big
Fun Fact/Origin: Stars are far away, so trying to reach them means aiming high.
Usage: Used when someone tries for something great.
21. Get your feet wet
Meaning: Try something new for the first time.
Example Sentence:
• She got her feet wet by helping in the school play.
• He got his feet wet in learning coding.
Other ways to say: Start slowly, begin
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of stepping into water slowly.
Usage: Used for trying something for the first time.
22. Put in the work
Meaning: Spend time and effort on something.
Example Sentence:
• She put in the work to learn piano.
• He put in the work to make the team.
Other ways to say: Practice, give effort
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom shows how success comes with effort.
Usage: When someone puts time into learning or doing something.
23. Go for it
Meaning: Try something without fear.
Example Sentence:
• He went for it and tried out for the play.
• She went for it and asked her question in class.
Other ways to say: Take a chance, try
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in sports and games when someone takes a bold step.
Usage: When someone is encouraged to try bravely.
24. Stay the course
Meaning: Keep going until the end.
Example Sentence:
• She stayed the course through the whole race.
• He stayed the course during his science project.
Other ways to say: Keep going, don’t quit
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sailing, where “staying the course” means not changing direction.
Usage: When someone keeps trying until they finish.
25. Test the waters
Meaning: Try something a little before doing more.
Example Sentence:
• He tested the waters by joining one club before signing up for more.
• She tested the waters by trying out one recipe.
Other ways to say: Try a bit, sample
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from checking water temperature before jumping in.
Usage: When someone is cautious about trying something new.
Quiz: Idioms About Trying
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. These questions help you check how well you understand idioms about trying your best.
Question Key
1. What does “give it your all” mean?
A) Share something with a friend
B) Try your best
C) Take a break from work
2. If someone says “hang in there,” what do they mean?
A) Quit early
B) Stay strong and keep trying
C) Go to sleep
3. What does “bend over backward” mean?
A) Stretch in gym class
B) Try very hard to help someone
C) Lie down and rest
4. If you “give it a shot,” what are you doing?
A) Refusing to try something
B) Trying something even if you’re not sure
C) Throwing something away
5. What does “go the extra mile” mean?
A) Drive somewhere far
B) Work longer than needed
C) Run fast in a race
6. What does “stick with it” tell someone to do?
A) Give up and leave
B) Stay focused and keep trying
C) Take a different path
7. If you “throw yourself into” something, what are you doing?
A) Jumping into a pool
B) Starting something with lots of energy
C) Taking a nap
8. What does “keep plugging away” mean?
A) Work slowly and keep going
B) Turn off your phone
C) Stop and play
9. If someone says “test the waters,” what do they mean?
A) Drink water
B) Check if something is safe before doing more
C) Jump right in without thinking
10. What does it mean to “shoot for the stars”?
A) Look at the sky
B) Try something easy
C) Aim for big dreams or goals
Answer Key
- B) Try your best
- B) Stay strong and keep trying
- B) Try very hard to help someone
- B) Trying something even if you’re not sure
- B) Work longer than needed
- B) Stay focused and keep trying
- B) Starting something with lots of energy
- A) Work slowly and keep going
- B) Check if something is safe before doing more
- C) Aim for big dreams or goals
Wrapping Up
Idioms about trying show us how people talk about effort in fun ways. They help us explain how we keep going, even when something is hard. These phrases are used in everyday life, at school, at home, and with friends. When we learn these idioms, we can talk better about the times we keep pushing forward.
Trying your best matters. These idioms remind us not to quit too soon and to keep going. Whether you’re doing homework, playing sports, or learning something new, these idioms can give you the words to keep your spirit strong.
