diff --git a/docs/reference/spec.md b/docs/reference/spec.md
index 536b025..c16c1d8 100644
--- a/docs/reference/spec.md
+++ b/docs/reference/spec.md
@@ -355,11 +355,31 @@ element and the outer `it` is no longer reachable until the inner
 | `all(list, pred)`    | `bool`                     | `true` if `pred` is truthy for every element; short-circuits. Empty list → `true`. |
 | `find(list, pred)`   | element or `nil`           | First element for which `pred` is truthy, or `nil`. |
 | `count(list, pred)`  | `int64`                    | Number of elements for which `pred` is truthy. |
+| `try(value, default)`| value or `default`         | Evaluates `value`; returns `default` if `value` raised an `ErrEvaluate` (missing key, type error, out-of-range index, etc.). The `default` expression is only evaluated when the primary fails. |
 
 The `list` argument must be a slice or array (or `nil`, which is
 treated as empty). Maps are not iterated by these forms; use
 `keys(m)` (from `WithBuiltins`) to drive a map iteration manually.
 
+`try(value, default)` is the odd one out: it does not iterate a list
+and binds no implicit `it`/`index`. Both arguments are arbitrary
+expressions. The `default` is **only** evaluated when `value` failed,
+so users can supply expensive or side-effecting fallbacks safely.
+
+`try` traps anything wrapping `ErrEvaluate`: missing fields/keys, nil
+selectors, out-of-range indices, type-coercion failures from `int`,
+`float`, etc. It does **not** trap raw `context.Canceled` or
+`context.DeadlineExceeded` (cancellation must remain observable), nor
+anything wrapping `ErrCompile`. Errors from evaluating the `default`
+expression itself surface unchanged. Combine with operand-returning
+`||` for the common case of presenting `nil` as a sentinel:
+
+```
+try(find(events, it.kind == "purchase").user, "—")
+try(int(input), 0) > 0
+try(user.nickname, nil) || "(none)"
+```
+
 Special-form names can be shadowed: if `WithFunctions` registers a
 function with the same name, or the caller's env contains an entry
 with that name, the user binding wins. This lets consumers replace
diff --git a/higher_order.go b/higher_order.go
index 6848191..9576e7a 100644
--- a/higher_order.go
+++ b/higher_order.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package expr
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"go/ast"
 	"reflect"
@@ -48,13 +49,14 @@ func init() {
 		"all":       formAll,
 		"find":      formFind,
 		"count":     formCount,
+		"try":       formTry,
 	}
 }
 
 // higherOrderNames is the user-visible list of special-form builtins.
 // It drives "did you mean" hints so users see the spelling they would
 // actually type (`map`, not the internal rewritten name).
-var higherOrderNames = []string{"map", "filter", "any", "all", "find", "count"}
+var higherOrderNames = []string{"map", "filter", "any", "all", "find", "count", "try"}
 
 // iterItems evaluates collExpr and converts the result to a []any for
 // predicate iteration. nil is treated as an empty list so
@@ -255,3 +257,29 @@ func formCount(p *Program, ctx context.Context, n *ast.CallExpr, env any, depth
 	}
 	return total, nil
 }
+
+// formTry implements `try(value, default)`. It evaluates the first
+// argument; if evaluation returns an ErrEvaluate, it evaluates and
+// returns the second argument instead. The default expression is
+// only evaluated when the primary expression failed, so users can
+// safely supply expensive or side-effecting fallbacks.
+//
+// Context cancellation (context.Canceled / context.DeadlineExceeded)
+// is propagated unwrapped. Anything wrapping ErrCompile is also
+// propagated; expr should not normally surface compile errors at
+// Run time, but if it does they signal a programmer mistake that
+// try is not the right place to swallow.
+func formTry(p *Program, ctx context.Context, n *ast.CallExpr, env any, depth int) (any, error) {
+	if len(n.Args) != 2 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: try expects 2 arguments (value, default), got %d",
+			ErrEvaluate, len(n.Args))
+	}
+	v, err := p.eval(ctx, n.Args[0], env, depth)
+	if err == nil {
+		return v, nil
+	}
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrEvaluate) || errors.Is(err, ErrCompile) {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return p.eval(ctx, n.Args[1], env, depth)
+}
diff --git a/higher_order_test.go b/higher_order_test.go
index 419b4d6..2c608ed 100644
--- a/higher_order_test.go
+++ b/higher_order_test.go
@@ -205,3 +205,141 @@ func TestHigherOrder_CancelDuringIteration(t *testing.T) {
 	require.True(t, errors.Is(err, context.Canceled),
 		"expected context.Canceled, got %v", err)
 }
+
+// --- try special form ---
+
+func TestTry_ValueSucceeds(t *testing.T) {
+	// When the first argument evaluates without error, the default is
+	// not consulted at all and the success value is returned verbatim.
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(42, 0)`, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(42), got)
+
+	env := map[string]any{"user": map[string]any{"name": "Ada"}}
+	got, err = evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(user.name, "anon")`, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "Ada", got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_DefaultOnMissingKey(t *testing.T) {
+	// Missing-key access raises ErrEvaluate. try traps that and returns
+	// the default. The default expression itself can be any expression,
+	// including one referring to other env values.
+	env := map[string]any{"user": map[string]any{"name": "Ada"}}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(user.nickname, "—")`, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "—", got)
+
+	got, err = evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(missing.path, user.name)`, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "Ada", got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_DefaultOnTypeError(t *testing.T) {
+	// try also catches type errors, which is one of the points: cheap
+	// `try(int(s), 0)` for strings that may or may not parse.
+	opts := []Option{WithBuiltins()}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(int("not-a-number"), 0)`, nil, opts...)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(0), got)
+
+	got, err = evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(int("42"), 0)`, nil, opts...)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(42), got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_DefaultOnIndexOutOfRange(t *testing.T) {
+	env := map[string]any{"xs": []any{int64(1), int64(2)}}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(xs[10], -1)`, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(-1), got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_DefaultIsLazy(t *testing.T) {
+	// The default expression is only evaluated when the primary fails.
+	// Pin that with a function that panics if called.
+	opts := []Option{WithFunctions(map[string]any{
+		"boom": func() int { panic("default should not have been evaluated") },
+	})}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(42, boom())`, nil, opts...)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(42), got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_DefaultErrorPropagates(t *testing.T) {
+	// If the default expression itself errors, that error surfaces.
+	// try is not a blanket exception swallower; it traps the primary
+	// arg only.
+	env := map[string]any{"user": map[string]any{"name": "Ada"}}
+	_, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(missing.path, also.missing)`, env)
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrEvaluate)
+}
+
+func TestTry_ArityError(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(1)`, nil)
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrEvaluate)
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "try expects 2 arguments")
+
+	_, err = evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(1, 2, 3)`, nil)
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrEvaluate)
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "try expects 2 arguments")
+}
+
+func TestTry_DoesNotTrapContextCancellation(t *testing.T) {
+	// A canceled context should propagate as context.Canceled even
+	// though try would otherwise be tempted to swallow the error. The
+	// raw context error must reach the caller so timeouts and explicit
+	// cancellation are observable.
+	ctxC, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	cancel()
+	_, err := evalExpr(ctxC, `try(user.name, "fallback")`, map[string]any{
+		"user": map[string]any{"name": "Ada"},
+	})
+	require.True(t, errors.Is(err, context.Canceled),
+		"expected context.Canceled to propagate, got %v", err)
+}
+
+func TestTry_UserFuncOverride(t *testing.T) {
+	// A registered try function shadows the special form, matching the
+	// env→funcs resolution order used by every other higher-order form.
+	opts := []Option{WithFunctions(map[string]any{
+		"try": func(a, b int64) int64 { return a + b },
+	})}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try(2, 3)`, nil, opts...)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(5), got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_EnvShadowsForm(t *testing.T) {
+	// An env entry named try shadows the form too (so `try` resolves to
+	// the env value). This pins the consistent shadowing semantics; it
+	// is not a recommended pattern.
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), `try`, map[string]any{"try": int64(7)})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(7), got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_NestedComposition(t *testing.T) {
+	// try composes inside higher-order forms. find returns nil when no
+	// element matches; selecting .name on nil errors; try falls back.
+	env := map[string]any{
+		"events": []any{
+			map[string]any{"kind": "click"},
+			map[string]any{"kind": "view"},
+		},
+	}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(),
+		`try(find(events, it.kind == "purchase").user, "—")`, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "—", got)
+}
+
+func TestTry_ComposesWithLogicalOr(t *testing.T) {
+	// try plus operand-returning || covers the common "fall back to a
+	// default and present nil as something else" case.
+	env := map[string]any{"user": map[string]any{}}
+	got, err := evalExpr(t.Context(),
+		`try(user.nickname, nil) || "(none)"`, env)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "(none)", got)
+}
diff --git a/llms.txt b/llms.txt
index 9cd4abd..9782eed 100644
--- a/llms.txt
+++ b/llms.txt
@@ -123,6 +123,20 @@ you need to).
 | `all(list, pred)`     | `bool`           | True if all match (empty list → true, short-circuits) |
 | `find(list, pred)`    | element or `nil` | First match or nil                                    |
 | `count(list, pred)`   | `int64`          | Number of matches                                     |
+| `try(value, default)` | value or default | `value` if it evaluates cleanly, else `default`       |
+
+`try` is the odd one out: it does not iterate a list, binds no `it`
+or `index`, and traps anything wrapping `ErrEvaluate` (missing keys,
+nil selectors, out-of-range indices, `int`/`float` parse failures).
+The `default` expression is lazy: it runs only when the primary fails.
+`try` does **not** trap raw `context.Canceled`,
+`context.DeadlineExceeded`, or anything wrapping `ErrCompile`.
+
+```
+try(int(s), 0)                                      // parse with fallback
+try(find(events, it.kind == "purchase").user, "—")  // optional chain
+try(user.nickname, nil) || "(none)"                 // present nil
+```
 
 Names can be shadowed by `WithFunctions` or an env entry of the same
 name. The literal token `map` is rewritten to an internal sentinel
diff --git a/suggest_test.go b/suggest_test.go
index 4b306f0..5804a75 100644
--- a/suggest_test.go
+++ b/suggest_test.go
@@ -20,17 +20,16 @@ func TestSuggest_UndefinedIdentDidYouMean(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSuggest_UndefinedIdentAvailableList(t *testing.T) {
 	// Small candidate set with no close match: the hint falls back to
 	// listing the available names. With no CompileOptions there are no
-	// functions registered, so the only candidates are the env entries plus the
-	// 6 higher-order form names. Two env entries keeps the total under
-	// the 8-name cap that formatHint uses to decide whether a list is
+	// functions registered, so the only candidates are the env entries
+	// plus the higher-order form names. One env entry keeps the total
+	// inside the cap that formatHint uses to decide whether a list is
 	// short enough to be useful.
-	env := map[string]any{"alpha": 1, "beta": 2}
+	env := map[string]any{"alpha": 1}
 	_, err := evalExpr(t.Context(), "zzz", env)
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrEvaluate)
 	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), `undefined identifier "zzz"`)
 	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "available:")
 	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "alpha")
-	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "beta")
 }
 
 func TestSuggest_MissingStructField(t *testing.T) {