Nice try

7th February 2024

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.
Usage
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.