college try

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But lately, growing numbers of preretirees and retirees are giving it the old college try.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Newcomer Brandon Routh gave rebooting the hero the old college try in 2006’s “Superman Returns,” but the romance-forward nature of the film ironically left audiences cold.

From Salon • Jul. 10, 2025

That said, you can hardly blame Zuckerberg for wanting to give it the old college try.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2022

In search of the truth, I decided to give a recent episode of each of seven higher-profile podcasts that use this format the old college try.

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2021

Probably he had said to someone to give something the old college try, and that had finished him; that would probably be grounds for expulsion at Harvard.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles