“try”

To make an effort to achieve or accomplish something, often against difficulty.

“She would attempt the north face of the mountain before the first snowfall.”

Best for: Slightly more formal than 'try'; works in professional or serious writing.

To apply serious effort toward achieving a goal, implying sustained commitment.

“He would endeavor to rebuild the trust he had so carelessly broken.”

Best for: Best in formal, professional, or inspirational writing; implies dedication.

To dare to do something uncertain or risky, with a sense of bold initiative.

“She ventured a smile at the stranger across the crowded room.”

Best for: Punchy and vivid; great when action involves courage or risk.

To make a deliberate attempt at something, especially something demanding or delicate.

“He essayed a few words in the local dialect, stumbling but earnest.”

Best for: Literary and slightly archaic; powerful in fiction or formal essays.

To attempt to do something, particularly something requiring skill or testing of limits.

“She assayed the difficult aria and silenced every doubt in the hall.”

Best for: Rare and archaic; striking in literary or poetic contexts for bold effect.

In archaic usage, to test or try something, probing its limits or possibilities.

“He tempted fate once more, pushing the engine past every safe threshold.”

Best for: Rare in this sense; deeply literary and archaic, best used knowingly.