try out

2 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 test something to see if it works well or if you like it B1
  2. 2 compete or audition for a place on a team or in a show B2
1 try sth out

test something to see if it works well or if you like it

B1

What does "try out" mean in this sense?

To try out something means to use or experience it to see whether it works well or whether you enjoy it. You might try out a new app, a recipe, a restaurant, or a piece of equipment — anything you want to evaluate by actually using it. The key idea is that you are testing it through personal experience, not just looking at it or reading about it. It is a neutral, everyday expression that works in conversations, product reviews, blog posts, and informal suggestions. It is slightly more casual than 'test' but fits naturally in almost any situation.

Examples

How to use it

try out + object

The most common pattern — use it when the object is a noun phrase, especially a longer one.

I really want to try out the new Vietnamese restaurant on the corner.

try + object + out

Separation is very natural with short noun objects and is common in everyday speech.

She bought a new coffee machine and tried it out straight away.

try + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'try' and 'out' — this is a firm rule.

My friend recommended that yoga app, so I tried it out last night.

have tried out + object

The present perfect is very common when asking or talking about recent experiences with something.

Have you tried out that new feature in the update yet?

object + be tried out

The passive form appears in more formal or written contexts, often for products or methods being tested.

The new teaching method was tried out in several schools before being adopted more widely.

Common Collocations

try out a restauranttry out a recipetry out an apptry out a new methodtry out a producttry out an idea

Common Mistakes

Pronoun after the particle

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'try' and 'out'. Putting it after 'out' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ I tried out it yesterday and it worked really well.
✓ I tried it out yesterday and it worked really well.
Confusing 'try out' with 'try on'

'Try on' is only used for clothing and accessories that you put on your body to see if they fit. For everything else — restaurants, apps, recipes, gadgets, methods — use 'try out'.

✗ I tried out the jacket in the shop but it didn't fit.
✓ I tried on the jacket in the shop but it didn't fit.
Using 'for' after 'try out' with the wrong meaning

Adding 'for' after 'try out' changes the meaning completely — 'try out for' means to audition or compete for a place on a team. To test something, give 'try out' a direct object without 'for'.

✗ I want to try out for the new gym near my house.
✓ I want to try out the new gym near my house.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. It is slightly more casual than 'test' and is especially common in everyday recommendations, reviews, and suggestions.

2 try out

compete or audition for a place on a team or in a show

B2

Sense 2: What does "try out" mean?

To try out for something means to go through a selection process — an audition or a trial — to earn a spot on a team, in a cast, or in another competitive group. The person demonstrates their skills in front of coaches, directors, or selectors, who then decide whether to accept them. This expression is especially common in American English, covering both sports contexts (trying out for a basketball team) and performing arts (trying out for a school musical). The key feature of this sense is that it is always followed by 'for' plus the team or role being competed for. It implies the outcome is uncertain — you try out, but you might not get selected.

Examples

How to use it

try out for + team/role/production

This is the core pattern: 'try out' is followed by 'for' and then the specific position, team, or role being auditioned for.

She decided to try out for the lead role in the spring musical.

try out (without 'for' when context is clear)

When the activity of auditioning has already been mentioned or is obvious from context, the 'for' phrase can be dropped.

The coach said the gym was open to everyone, so about thirty students showed up to try out.

encourage/persuade + person + to try out for + position

This construction is common when one person motivates another to participate in an audition or trial.

Her drama teacher encouraged her to try out for the regional youth theatre company.

decide/plan/want to try out for + position

Modal-like verbs and expressions of intention frequently precede 'try out for', as auditioning is typically a planned action.

He has always wanted to try out for the varsity soccer team.

Common Collocations

try out for the teamtry out for the school playtry out for a roletry out for the squadtry out for the musicaltry out for a part

Common Mistakes

Using 'try out' without 'for'

When the position or team is mentioned, 'for' is obligatory. Dropping it produces ungrammatical English in this sense.

✗ She tried out the school play.
✓ She tried out for the school play.
Confusing with the 'test something' sense

In this audition sense, 'try out' is intransitive — you cannot place a thing directly after it as an object. When a noun immediately follows 'try out' without 'for', it reads as testing something, not auditioning.

✗ He tried out the basketball team.
✓ He tried out for the basketball team.
Using 'try out for' in British English contexts

This expression is mainly American English. In British English contexts, 'audition for' is preferred for performing arts, and 'go for a trial' or 'have a trial' is more natural for sports.

Usage

This expression is mainly American English; in British English, speakers usually say 'audition for' (performing arts) or 'go for a trial' (sports). Use it for both sports and performance contexts in AmE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'try out' without an object, like 'Give it a go and try out!'?

'Try out' always needs a direct object — you have to say what you are testing. You can say 'Try it out!' using a pronoun, but you cannot use 'try out' without any object at all. If you want to drop the object, 'give it a go' or 'have a try' work better as standalone phrases.

What kinds of things can I 'try out'?

You can try out almost anything you experience or use — restaurants, apps, recipes, gadgets, techniques, gyms, games, cars, and routines are all very natural collocations. The common thread is that you are testing something by actually using or experiencing it, rather than just looking at it.

Is 'try out' the same as 'test out'?

'Test out' is very similar in meaning but feels slightly more technical and is more common when talking about systems, equipment, or hypotheses. 'Try out' is more everyday and covers personal experiences like trying a restaurant or a hobby. In most situations, both are fine, but 'try out' sounds more natural in casual recommendations.

Can I say 'I have been trying out' or is that wrong?

'I've been trying out' (present perfect continuous) is perfectly natural when you want to describe an ongoing process — for example, 'I've been trying out different apps to find the best one.' The forms to avoid are very complex ones like 'had been trying out' or 'will have tried out', which sound unnatural in everyday speech.

Does 'try out' work in both British and American English?

Yes, 'try out' is equally common and natural in both British and American English. You will hear and see it in everyday conversation, product reviews, and informal writing in both varieties without any difference in meaning.

Is 'try out for' only used in American English?

It is primarily an American English expression and is most commonly heard in US sports and entertainment contexts. British English speakers tend to say 'audition for' when talking about performing arts, and 'go for a trial' or 'have a trial' for sports. However, 'try out for' is widely understood internationally thanks to American TV and film.

Can 'try out for' be used for both sports and performing arts?

Yes — in American English, 'try out for' covers both. You can try out for a basketball team and try out for a school musical using exactly the same expression. This versatility is one reason it's so common in US high school and college settings.

Does 'try out' always mean someone is competing — could they be guaranteed a spot?

The phrase carries an implication of uncertainty: you are competing and may or may not be selected. If someone is guaranteed a place, you would not normally say they are 'trying out'. The word 'try' itself suggests the outcome is open.

Can I say 'She tried out for it' instead of naming the team or role?

Technically it is grammatical, but it sounds unnatural in most situations. Native speakers strongly prefer to name the specific team, role, or production for clarity ('she tried out for the lead'). The short form without 'for' at all ('she tried out') is actually more natural when the context is already clear.

Does 'try out for' imply the person is nervous or inexperienced?

No — the phrase itself is neutral about the person's skill level or emotional state. Both beginners and experienced performers or athletes can 'try out for' something. Words like 'nervously' or 'confidently' can be added to show how they felt, but the phrasal verb alone does not carry that meaning.

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