Essay
noun
A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
She wrote an essay on environmental pollution.
Often appears as...
- argumentative essay
- persuasive essay
Usage tips
Academic
verb
Try or attempt something.
She essayed a smile but didn't look convinced.
Often appears as...
- essayed a leap
- essayed a smile
Usage tips
Formal
noun
A trial, attempt, or endeavor.
Her romantic essay into novel writing was a great success.
Often appears as...
- essay into politics
- essay into business
Usage tips
Literary
noun
A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
She wrote an essay on environmental pollution.
Often appears as...
- argumentative essay
- persuasive essay
Usage tips
Academic
verb
Try or attempt something.
She essayed a smile but didn't look convinced.
Often appears as...
- essayed a leap
- essayed a smile
Usage tips
Formal
noun
A trial, attempt, or endeavor.
Her romantic essay into novel writing was a great success.
Often appears as...
- essay into politics
- essay into business
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Subject Specific
Essays are focused on a specific topic or argument and explore it in depth.
His essay on Shakespeare's sonnets delved into themes of love and time.
Pro Tip 2/3Length Variation
Although typically short, essay length can vary based on educational levels and subjects.
High school essays are shorter than college-level ones.
Pro Tip 3/3Structured Content
Essays have a clear structure: introduction, body, and conclusion.
Her essay started with an anecdote, followed by analysis, and concluded with her viewpoint.
Compare with
articlecommentarycompositiondissertationexpositionpaperthesistreatise
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Video examples
Notes of a native son:...
After high school, he began writing novels and essays while taking a series of odd jobs. But the issues that had driven him away from the Church were still inescapable in his daily life. Constantly confronted with racism and homophobia, he was angry and disillusioned, and yearned for a less restricted life.
Video examples
Chasing Rivers, Part 2:...
Again fire equals light equals humility, people coming from the banks to watch it. And then just downstream, you can come here to pray and round the corner, people come to die. All this work and a bunch of essays I wrote were published on the National Geographic magazine 'Proof' blog recently.
Video examples
The power of a great...
If you begin writing a literary analysis with the introduction, you may be discouraged. Here's a tip for writing a great Write it last, and write your thesis first. Figure out what you want to analyze before you actually analyze it. Your thesis is the foundation for the rest of your essay,
Video examples
The mathematician who...
and he wrote an essay on the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics. Somehow, this mathematics, which is rooted in the real world in some sense -- we learn to count, measure, everyone would do that -- and then it flourishes on its own. But so often it comes back to save the day.
Video examples
Empathy Is Not...
was to shut down opposing viewpoints through epically worded video essays and comments and posts, but I soon learned those were only cheered on by the people who already agreed with me. Sometimes -- bless you. Sometimes, the most subversive thing you could do -- yeah, clap for him.
Video examples
How to have better...
might be helpful for understanding how it is that liberals and conservatives talk to one another and why they so often seem to talk past one another when they do. So we conducted a study where we recruited liberals to a study where they were supposed to write a persuasive essay
Video examples
The habits of happiness...
that think happiness is not at all interesting. I just wrote an essay on happiness, and there was a controversy. And someone wrote an article saying, "Don't impose on us the dirty work of happiness." "We don't care about being happy. We need to live with passion.
Video examples
How do we reason for a...
maturity due to lack of courage lack of courage to think for yourself as opposed to letting other people think for you now times concern wasn't just self-reliance as he goes on in the essay to make clear what do you really wanted
Video examples
The journey through loss...
Amy's essay caused me to experience grief in a public way. Many of the readers who reached out to me wrote beautiful words of reflection. The scope of Amy's impact was deeper and richer than even us and her family knew.
Video examples
This is what it's like...
how could we expect them to be otherwise? Next, I tried to teach them essay writing. But that turned out to be nearly impossible. Essays are about coming up with one's own thesis,
Video examples
Notes of a native son:...
After high school, he began writing novels and essays while taking a series of odd jobs. But the issues that had driven him away from the Church were still inescapable in his daily life. Constantly confronted with racism and homophobia, he was angry and disillusioned, and yearned for a less restricted life.
Video examples
Chasing Rivers, Part 2:...
Again fire equals light equals humility, people coming from the banks to watch it. And then just downstream, you can come here to pray and round the corner, people come to die. All this work and a bunch of essays I wrote were published on the National Geographic magazine 'Proof' blog recently.
Video examples
The power of a great...
If you begin writing a literary analysis with the introduction, you may be discouraged. Here's a tip for writing a great Write it last, and write your thesis first. Figure out what you want to analyze before you actually analyze it. Your thesis is the foundation for the rest of your essay,
Video examples
The mathematician who...
and he wrote an essay on the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics. Somehow, this mathematics, which is rooted in the real world in some sense -- we learn to count, measure, everyone would do that -- and then it flourishes on its own. But so often it comes back to save the day.
Video examples
Empathy Is Not...
was to shut down opposing viewpoints through epically worded video essays and comments and posts, but I soon learned those were only cheered on by the people who already agreed with me. Sometimes -- bless you. Sometimes, the most subversive thing you could do -- yeah, clap for him.
Video examples
How to have better...
might be helpful for understanding how it is that liberals and conservatives talk to one another and why they so often seem to talk past one another when they do. So we conducted a study where we recruited liberals to a study where they were supposed to write a persuasive essay
Video examples
The habits of happiness...
that think happiness is not at all interesting. I just wrote an essay on happiness, and there was a controversy. And someone wrote an article saying, "Don't impose on us the dirty work of happiness." "We don't care about being happy. We need to live with passion.
Video examples
How do we reason for a...
maturity due to lack of courage lack of courage to think for yourself as opposed to letting other people think for you now times concern wasn't just self-reliance as he goes on in the essay to make clear what do you really wanted
Video examples
The journey through loss...
Amy's essay caused me to experience grief in a public way. Many of the readers who reached out to me wrote beautiful words of reflection. The scope of Amy's impact was deeper and richer than even us and her family knew.
Video examples
This is what it's like...
how could we expect them to be otherwise? Next, I tried to teach them essay writing. But that turned out to be nearly impossible. Essays are about coming up with one's own thesis,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Geoff Dyer
English Writer
I think I got into travelling because it was so not in my blood, so against my tendency to just stay put because my dad just hated going on holidays, because, as I've said in many essays, the thing that he hated more than anything else in life was spending money. And as soon as you leave your home, you're spending money.
Quote examples
Wole Soyinka
Nigerian Dramatist
I began writing early - very, very early... I was already writing short stories for the radio and selling poems to poetry and art festivals; I was involved in school plays; I wrote essays, so there was no definite moment when I said, 'Now I'm a writer.' I've always been a writer.
Quote examples
Nick Hornby
English Writer
An Education' was a complicated piece of work because it came from a tiny essay, so it took me a while to find the story I wanted to tell and the characters I wanted to tell it about. That really only emerged after four or five drafts.
Quote examples
Ronald Frame
British Novelist
When I was younger, when I was at school, I did read a lot of fiction. I think as you get older perhaps you're interested in essays and biographies and things like that. I think it's just important to just read as much as you can.
Quote examples
Radhika Pandit
Indian Actress
Dubbing is an important part of acting, and I feel complete only when it's my voice that is heard. Having essayed the character, I know the kinds of emotions that are required for each scene.
Quote examples
Rupi Kaur
Canadian Poet
I always wrote stories, but I do remember a particular moment in middle school where I became passionate about essay writing.
Quote examples
Javed Jaffrey
Indian Actor
I essay a negative or a positive character depending on whether it's a principle role and how much it drives the movie.
Quote examples
Zawe Ashton
English Actress
Honestly, the life of a serial character on television, I'd love to write an essay about it.
Quote examples
Raashi Khanna
Indian Actress
I wish to continue to essay roles that will help me find my place in the audience's hearts.
Quote examples
Pankaj Kapur
Indian Actor
I have loved playing every character that I essayed.
Quote examples
Geoff Dyer
English Writer
I think I got into travelling because it was so not in my blood, so against my tendency to just stay put because my dad just hated going on holidays, because, as I've said in many essays, the thing that he hated more than anything else in life was spending money. And as soon as you leave your home, you're spending money.
Quote examples
Wole Soyinka
Nigerian Dramatist
I began writing early - very, very early... I was already writing short stories for the radio and selling poems to poetry and art festivals; I was involved in school plays; I wrote essays, so there was no definite moment when I said, 'Now I'm a writer.' I've always been a writer.
Quote examples
Nick Hornby
English Writer
An Education' was a complicated piece of work because it came from a tiny essay, so it took me a while to find the story I wanted to tell and the characters I wanted to tell it about. That really only emerged after four or five drafts.
Quote examples
Ronald Frame
British Novelist
When I was younger, when I was at school, I did read a lot of fiction. I think as you get older perhaps you're interested in essays and biographies and things like that. I think it's just important to just read as much as you can.
Quote examples
Radhika Pandit
Indian Actress
Dubbing is an important part of acting, and I feel complete only when it's my voice that is heard. Having essayed the character, I know the kinds of emotions that are required for each scene.
Quote examples
Rupi Kaur
Canadian Poet
I always wrote stories, but I do remember a particular moment in middle school where I became passionate about essay writing.
Quote examples
Javed Jaffrey
Indian Actor
I essay a negative or a positive character depending on whether it's a principle role and how much it drives the movie.
Quote examples
Zawe Ashton
English Actress
Honestly, the life of a serial character on television, I'd love to write an essay about it.
Quote examples
Raashi Khanna
Indian Actress
I wish to continue to essay roles that will help me find my place in the audience's hearts.
Quote examples
Pankaj Kapur
Indian Actor
I have loved playing every character that I essayed.
Example 1 of 10
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