Judge vs. Try — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 30, 2024
Judge involves forming an opinion or conclusion, while try pertains to attempting to do or accomplish something.
Difference Between Judge and Try
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Judge generally refers to forming an opinion or conclusion about something or someone, often after careful consideration. On the other hand, try relates to making an effort or attempt to accomplish a task or to achieve something, typically without the certainty of success.
When people judge, they evaluate or assess a person, event, or object based on evidence, criteria, or experience. Whereas, when they try, they engage in the process of testing or experimenting with different methods to determine what works or to learn something new.
Judgment often involves a decision-making process that can lead to a verdict or a conclusion that might affect outcomes significantly. Conversely, trying is associated with the process of experimentation and does not necessarily result in a final decision but more about discovery and learning.
In legal contexts, to judge can mean to preside over a court case to make rulings and determine justice, highlighting a formal and authoritative decision-making role. On the other hand, try in legal terms often refers to the process of examining a case in court, where evidence is presented, and a verdict is reached.
In everyday usage, judging can sometimes have a negative connotation, implying criticism or passing harsh judgment without adequate understanding. Meanwhile, trying is generally viewed positively, as it emphasizes effort and the willingness to persist despite challenges.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Form opinions or conclusions about
Make an effort or attempt to do something
Contexts
Legal, personal evaluation, competitions
Experimentation, learning, problem-solving
Connotation
Often formal and can be negative (critical)
Generally positive, implies effort
Outcome
Decision making, finality
Process-oriented, not necessarily conclusive
Example Usage
A judge ruling in a court, judging a contest
Trying a new recipe, trying out for a team
Compare with Definitions
Judge
To form an opinion about someone or something.
She judged the quality of the wine by its aroma and color.
Try
To attempt to do something.
She will try to finish the project by Friday.
Judge
To determine results in competitions.
He was chosen to judge at the regional music competition.
Try
To test something in order to learn about it.
Try this cake to see if it needs more sugar.
Judge
To infer or conclude information.
I judged his intentions from his behavior.
Try
To use legal power to examine and decide a case.
The court will try the case in the fall.
Judge
To preside over a court case.
The judge will hear the criminal case next week.
Try
To put to test or experiment.
They will try the new software in the upcoming project.
Judge
To criticize or make a ruling.
They were quick to judge his mistake.
Try
To make an effort to achieve a difficult task.
He tried hard to win the race.
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions.
Try
Make an attempt or effort to do something
I started to try and untangle the mystery
I decided to try writing fiction
He tried to regain his breath
Three times he tried the manoeuvre and three times he failed
Judge
To form an opinion or estimation of after careful consideration
Judge heights.
Judging character.
Try
Subject (someone) to trial
He was arrested and tried for the murder
Judge
(Law) To hear and decide on in a court of law
Judge a case.
Try
Smooth (roughly planed wood) with a plane to give an accurately flat surface.
Judge
To pass sentence on; condemn.
Try
Extract (oil or fat) by heating
Some of the fat may be tried out and used
Judge
To act as one appointed to decide the winners of
Judge an essay contest.
Try
An effort to accomplish something; an attempt
He got his membership card on his third try
Judge
To determine or declare after consideration or deliberation
Most people judged him negligent in performing his duties as a parent.
Try
An act of touching the ball down behind the opposing goal line, scoring points and entitling the scoring side to a kick at goal.
Judge
(Informal) To have as an opinion or assumption; suppose
I judge you're right.
Try
To make an effort to do or accomplish (something); attempt
Tried to ski.
Judge
(Bible) To govern; rule. Used of an ancient Israelite leader.
Try
To taste, sample, or otherwise test in order to determine strength, effect, worth, or desirability
Try this casserole.
Judge
To form an opinion or evaluation.
Try
To make an effort to open (a closed door or window).
Judge
To act or decide as a judge.
Try
To conduct the trial of (a legal claim)
To try a negligence case.
Judge
One who makes estimates as to worth, quality, or fitness
A good judge of used cars.
A poor judge of character.
Try
To put (an accused person) on trial.
Judge
(Law) A public official who hears and decides cases brought in court.
Try
To subject to great strain or hardship; tax
The last steep ascent tried my every muscle.
Judge
(Law) A public official who hears and decides cases or matters in a forum other than a court, such as an administrative proceeding.
Try
To melt (lard, for example) to separate out impurities; render.
Judge
One appointed to decide the winners of a contest or competition.
Try
To make an effort; strive
I know it's not easy, but keep trying!.
Judge
A leader of the Israelites during a period of about 400 years between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul.
Try
An attempt; an effort.
Judge
Judges (used with a sing. verb) See Table at Bible.
Try
(Sports) In rugby, an act of advancing the ball past the opponent's goal line and grounding it there for a score of three points.
Judge
A public official whose duty it is to administer the law, especially by presiding over trials and rendering judgments; a justice.
Try
To attempt; to endeavour. Followed by infinitive.
I tried to rollerblade, but I couldn’t.
I'll come to dinner soon. I'm trying to beat this level first.
Judge
A person who decides the fate of someone or something that has been called into question.
Try
(obsolete) To divide; to separate.
Judge
A person officiating at a sports event, a contest, or similar.
At a boxing match, the decision of the judges is final.
Try
To separate (precious metal etc.) from the ore by melting; to purify, refine.
Judge
A person who evaluates something or forms an opinion.
She is a good judge of wine.
They say he is a poor judge of character considering all the unreliable friends he has made.
Try
(one sort from another) To winnow; to sift; to pick out; frequently followed by out.
To try out the wild corn from the good
Judge
A shophet, a temporary leader appointed in times of crisis in ancient Israel.
Try
(nautical) To extract oil from blubber or fat; to melt down blubber to obtain oil
Judge
(transitive) To sit in judgment on; to pass sentence on (a person or matter).
A higher power will judge you after you are dead.
Try
To extract wax from a honeycomb
Judge
(intransitive) To sit in judgment, to act as judge.
Justices in this country judge without appeal.
Try
To test, to work out.
Judge
(transitive) To judicially rule or determine.
Try
To make an experiment. Usually followed by a present participle.
I tried mixing more white paint to get a lighter shade.
Judge
To sentence to punishment, to judicially condemn.
He was judged to die for his crimes.
Try
To put to test.
I shall try my skills on this.
Judge
To award judicially; to adjudge.
Try
(specifically) To test someone's patience.
You are trying my patience.
Don't try me.
Judge
(transitive) To form an opinion on; to appraise.
I judge a man’s character by the cut of his suit.
Try
To receive an imminent attack; to take.
Judge
To constitute a fitting appraisal or criterion of; to provide a basis for forming an opinion on.
Try
To taste, sample, etc.
Oh, you need to try the soup of the day!
Judge
(intransitive) To arbitrate; to pass opinion on something, especially to settle a dispute etc.
We cannot both be right: you must judge between us.
Try
To prove by experiment; to apply a test to, for the purpose of determining the quality; to examine; to prove; to test.
To try weights or measures by a standard;
To try a person's opinions
Judge
(transitive) To have as an opinion; to consider, suppose.
I judge it safe to leave the house once again.
Try
(with indirect interrogative clause) To attempt to determine (by experiment or effort).
I'll try whether I can make it across town on foot.
Judge
(ambitransitive) To form an opinion; to infer.
I judge from the sky that it might rain later.
Try
(legal) To put on trial.
He was tried and executed.
Judge
(ambitransitive) To criticize or label another person or thing.
Try
To experiment, to strive.
Judge
(ambitransitive) To govern as biblical judge or shophet (over some jurisdiction).
Try
To have or gain knowledge of by experience.
Judge
A public officer who is invested with authority to hear and determine litigated causes, and to administer justice between parties in courts held for that purpose.
The parts of a judge in hearing are four: to direct the evidence; to moderate length, repetition, or impertinency of speech; to recapitulate, select, and collate the material points of that which hath been said; and to give the rule or sentence.
Try
To work on something with one's best effort and focus.
Dad, for fuck's sake, I'm trying my best!
You are trying too hard.
Judge
One who has skill, knowledge, or experience, sufficient to decide on the merits of a question, or on the quality or value of anything; one who discerns properties or relations with skill and readiness; a connoisseur; an expert; a critic.
A man who is no judge of law may be a good judge of poetry, or eloquence, or of the merits of a painting.
Try
(obsolete) To do; to fare.
How do you try! (i.e., how do you do?)
Judge
A person appointed to decide in a trial of skill, speed, etc., between two or more parties; an umpire; as, a judge in a horse race.
Try
To settle; to decide; to determine; specifically, to decide by an appeal to arms.
To try rival claims by a duel;
To try conclusions
Judge
One of the supreme magistrates, with both civil and military powers, who governed Israel for more than four hundred years.
Try
To attempt to conceive a child.
Judge
The title of the seventh book of the Old Testament; the Book of Judges.
Try
(nautical) To lie to in heavy weather under just sufficient sail to head into the wind.
Judge
To hear and determine, as in causes on trial; to decide as a judge; to give judgment; to pass sentence.
The Lord judge between thee and me.
Father, who art judgeOf all things made, and judgest only right!
Try
To strain; to subject to excessive tests.
The light tries his eyes.
Repeated failures try one's patience.
Judge
To compare facts or ideas, and perceive their relations and attributes, and thus distinguish truth from falsehood; to determine; to discern; to distinguish; to form an opinion about.
Judge not according to the appearance.
She is wise if I can judge of her.
Try
To want
I am really not trying to hear you talk about my mama like that.
Judge
To hear and determine by authority, as a case before a court, or a controversy between two parties.
Try
An attempt.
I gave unicycling a try but I couldn’t do it.
Judge
To examine and pass sentence on; to try; to doom.
God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.
To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,And to be judged by him.
Try
An act of tasting or sampling.
I gave sushi a try but I didn’t like it.
Judge
To arrogate judicial authority over; to sit in judgment upon; to be censorious toward.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Try
(rugby) A score in rugby league and rugby union, analogous to a touchdown in American football.
Today I scored my first try.
Judge
To determine upon or deliberation; to esteem; to think; to reckon.
If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord.
Try
A screen, or sieve, for grain.
Judge
To exercise the functions of a magistrate over; to govern.
Make us a king to judge us.
Try
(American football) A field goal or extra point
Judge
A public official authorized to decide questions bought before a court of justice
Try
(chess) A move that almost solves a chess problem, except that Black has a unique defense.
Judge
An authority who is able to estimate worth or quality
Try
(obsolete) Fine, excellent.
Judge
Determine the result of (a competition)
Try
To divide or separate, as one sort from another; to winnow; to sift; to pick out; - frequently followed by out; as, to try out the wild corn from the good.
Judge
Form an opinion of or pass judgment on;
I cannot judge some works of modern art
Try
To purify or refine, as metals; to melt out, and procure in a pure state, as oil, tallow, lard, etc.
The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Judge
Judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time);
I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds
Try
To prove by experiment; to apply a test to, for the purpose of determining the quality; to examine; to prove; to test; as, to try weights or measures by a standard; to try a man's opinions.
Let the end try the man.
Judge
Pronounce judgment on;
They labeled him unfit to work here
Try
To subject to severe trial; to put to the test; to cause suffering or trouble to.
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased.
These are the times that try men's souls.
Judge
Put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of;
The football star was tried for the murder of his wife
The judge tried both father and son in separate trials
Try
To experiment with; to test by use; as, to try a remedy for disease; to try a horse.
Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me.
To ease her cares the force of sleep she tries.
Try
To strain; to subject to excessive tests; as, the light tries his eyes; repeated disappointments try one's patience.
Try
To examine or investigate judicially; to examine by witnesses or other judicial evidence and the principles of law; as, to try a cause, or a criminal.
Try
To settle; to decide; to determine; specifically, to decide by an appeal to arms; as, to try rival claims by a duel; to try conclusions.
Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.
Try
To experience; to have or gain knowledge of by experience.
Or try the Libyan heat or Scythian cold.
Try
To essay; to attempt; to endeavor.
Let us try . . . to found a path.
He first deceased: she for a little triedTo live without him; liked it not, and died.
Alack, I am afraid they have a waked,And 't is not done. The attempt, and not the deed,Confounds us.
Try
To exert strength; to endeavor; to make an effort or an attempt; as, you must try hard if you wish to learn.
Try
To do; to fare; as, how do you try!
Try
A screen, or sieve, for grain.
Try
Act of trying; attempt; experiment; trial.
This breaking of his has been but a try for his friends.
Try
In Rugby and Northern Union football, a score (counting three points) made by grounding the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line; - so called because it entitles the side making it to a place kick for a goal (counting two points more if successful).
Try
Refined; select; excellent; choice.
Try
Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something;
Made an effort to cover all the reading material
Wished him luck in his endeavor
She gave it a good try
Try
Make an effort or attempt;
He tried to shake off his fears
The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps
The police attempted to stop the thief
He sought to improve himself
She always seeks to do good in the world
Try
Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to;
This approach has been tried with good results
Test this recipe
Try
Put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of;
The football star was tried for the murder of his wife
The judge tried both father and son in separate trials
Try
Take a sample of;
Try these new crackers
Sample the regional dishes
Try
Examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process;
The jury had heard all the evidence
The case will be tried in California
Try
Give pain or trouble to;
I've been sorely tried by these students
Try
Test the limits of;
You are trying my patience!
Try
Melt (fat, lard, etc.) in order to separate out impurities;
Try the yak butter
Render fat in a casserole
Try
Put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice;
Try on this sweater to see how it looks
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to judge someone?
Judging someone involves forming an opinion about them based on perceived information or biases.
What does it mean to try something new?
Trying something new involves attempting an unfamiliar activity to gain experience or knowledge.
Can judging be done without bias?
Ideally, judging should be impartial, but complete removal of bias is challenging as it often involves personal or societal values.
How do judges operate in court?
Judges operate by overseeing legal proceedings, making rulings based on law and evidence presented.
Is trying always associated with success?
No, trying is about making an effort, regardless of the outcome; success isn't guaranteed.
How do legal systems define 'try'?
In legal systems, 'try' refers to the process where a court hears and decides a case.
What is the difference between judging and criticizing?
Judging can be a neutral or formal assessment, while criticizing usually involves pointing out faults or problems.
Can trying be detrimental?
Trying might lead to failure or setbacks, but these are often viewed as learning opportunities rather than purely negative outcomes.
How do societal norms influence judging?
Societal norms and cultural values significantly shape how and what people judge as acceptable or good.
Can anyone judge in a professional context?
Professional judging typically requires expertise or authority, such as in judicial roles or competitive scenarios.
Is trying necessary for learning?
Yes, trying is essential for learning as it involves practical engagement and experimentation.
What skills are necessary for effective trying?
Effective trying requires persistence, creativity, and an openness to learning from mistakes.
What impacts can judgment have on people?
Judgment can significantly affect people's confidence, reputation, and social interactions, depending on the context and nature of the judgment.
What role does evidence play in judging?
In both informal opinions and formal settings like courts, evidence plays a crucial role in supporting judgments.
How does one improve their ability to try new things?
Improving this ability involves developing a growth mindset, reducing fear of failure, and increasing curiosity and resilience.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
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Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
