An essay is a short text where someone writes about a topic. It often shows the writer’s thoughts or ideas. Students often write essays at school.
I wrote an essay about my summer vacation.
She read an essay on climate change.
As a verb, essay means to try to do something hard. People use it when they make an effort to do a task or goal.
He essayed to win the race last year.
They essayed climbing the mountain together.
An essay can also be a serious paper or talk about a subject, especially in literature or thinking. It explains ideas in detail.
His essay on freedom is very thoughtful.
The professor assigned a long essay on ethics.
Essay can mean a test or experiment with something new. People try a new idea to see if it works.
The new method was an essay in teaching.
This recipe is an essay to make bread without yeast.
An essay can be a short writing that shows the writer’s personal thoughts or feelings. It may tell stories or give opinions.
Her essay about childhood was very personal.
The newspaper published an essay on culture.