Skip to main content

Nice try

Phrase of the day

Discover a new phrase each day to use in your English! These are special phrases and sayings that English speakers use all the time, but you don't often see these phrases in English course books or other study material. Visit daily to learn some popular English phrases on a regular basis.

7 February 2026

Nice try

We use this expression to say that we won't do or believe what someone has said or tried to make us do, or to show that we appreciate something that did not work.

Written: No

Spoken: Yes

Formal: No

Informal: Yes

Example 1

I tried to get the teacher to drop our test by saying we were all ill. She refused.

Nice try.

Example 2

You know I'm related to the queen on my mother's side? Actually we're distant cousins.

Nice try - but I still won't let you borrow my coat! It was expensive.

Find more phrases

Previous Day
Next Day
Today's Phrase
Feb2026
14