assay 1 of 2

noun

ˈa-ˌsā How to pronounce assay (audio)
Definition of assaynext
1
as in analysis
the separation and identification of the parts of a whole a metallurgist did an assay on the metal and determined it contained nickel

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2
as in attempt
archaic an effort to do or accomplish something the poem about a frustrated man's last assay at greatness

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assay

2 of 2

verb

a-ˈsā How to pronounce assay (audio)
1
as in to analyze
to identify and examine the basic elements or parts of (something) especially for discovering interrelationships the company assayed a sample of the rock to see if it contained gold in quantities worth mining

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2
as in to attempt
to make an effort to do assaying the task of writing his autobiography

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of assay
Noun
Some broad-range molecular assays and next-generation sequencing approaches already exist in research settings. — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 1 July 2026 One of the investigators who received this funding, Andrew Levin of Kephera Diagnostics, leads a team that developed a prototype lateral flow assay, which works like a home pregnancy test but uses blood instead of urine. — Lauren Schneider, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
Verb
For example, cell viability assays measure the effect of a chemical on cell survival and growth. — Brad Reisfeld, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025 The 950-pound rover could navigate treacherous lunar terrain to reach a site of interest, assay the soil’s ice content with three-foot-deep drilling and then move on to another location to do it all again. — Michael Greshko, Scientific American, 24 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for assay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assay
  1. analysis
  2. attempt
  3. analyze
  4. try
  5. dissect
  6. strive
  7. assess
  8. essay
Noun
  • The nation’s wealthiest suburb is Scarsdale, in New York’s leafy Westchester County, with an average household income of $612,591 in 2024, according to an analysis released June 1 by the personal finance site MoneyLion.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Forensic analysis was able to match Childers' DNA to a profile in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of analysis
Noun
  • No one expects Moreno to spend like the Dodgers do (and even Walter’s fellow owners want a salary cap in an attempt to stop the Dodgers).
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • One interception attempt resulted in a large explosion that spectacularly blew the roof off a fuel tank.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • Cisco has built and is refining an AI tool for investor relations that analyzes its financial history alongside competitors’ earnings calls and can anticipate likely questions from specific analysts.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • In the new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed electronic health records from 2001 to 2023 for more than 700,000 pairs of mothers and children in Hong Kong.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • In another moment of the exchange, which was released by authorities and did not include timestamps, Robinson writes about potentially trying to retrieve his rifle but says a law enforcement car is nearby.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • Some Palestinians even try to hang food containers on the ceiling of their tents to keep them out of reach.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of try
Verb
  • Join forces and sign up for our subscriber-exclusive newsletter dissecting House of the Dragon season three.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • From the frantic frenzy surrounding royal nuptials to the way the internet dissected every possible clue from Zendaya and Tom Holland before they were revealed to have officially tied the knot, weddings like these are a cultural event.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 July 2026
Definition of dissect
Verb
  • When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
    — Jeremy Fain, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
    — Eugenia Mykuliak, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of strive
Verb
  • Vogue Business assessed the 64 shows and presentations published on Vogue Runway and contacted each brand to verify the findings (brands were given 48 hours to respond).
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 6 July 2026
  • Professionals must actively map where their risk truly lies, assessing counterparty exposure, income correlation, and cost repricing, rather than mistaking simplicity for safety.
    — Henrik Totterman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of assess
Verb
  • There is a secondary love affair being essayed here beyond the one with Robert Smith, and Rodrigo did a fairly effective job in pre-release commentary of explaining how, thematically, this would be a two-part album.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 12 June 2026
  • After netting a Golden Globe nomination for her film debut in 1978's Corvette Summer, Annie Potts joined the cast of Ghostbusters, played the ultimate Cool Girl record store clerk in Pretty in Pink (1986), and essayed her most iconic role as barbed single-mother Mary Jo Shively on Designing Women.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
Definition of essay

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Cite this Entry

“Assay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assay. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of assay for Spanish Speakers

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