as in works
the active use of energy in producing a result
the finished parade float was well worth the effort
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Recent Examples of efforts
Those efforts resulted in criminal charges against Giuliani in two states and a defamation lawsuit from election workers in Georgia.
—
James Powel, USA Today, 4 May 2026
His mentoring efforts so far have mostly been further down the ballot.
—Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
One of the largest efforts supporting these programs is the Johnson County Master Gardener Public Garden Tour.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2026
Because Democrats promised that some of these redistricting efforts were going to be temporary.
—NBC news, 3 May 2026
Is this a reasonable prosecution in response to Morens’s apparent efforts to avoid public-records laws, or an excuse to harass scientists involved in the 2020 COVID response—or both?
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Other changes would require private guardians to attest to the court that their efforts to locate family or friends were exhausted prior to appointment.
—Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
His defensive contributions have aided four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert’s efforts guarding Jokić, the three-time MVP, one-on-one.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Stocks advanced and the dollar slipped following a report that Iran offered the US a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, easing concern that efforts to restart peace talks had stalled.
—Anand Krishnamoorthy, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
James Powel, USA Today, 4 May 2026
His mentoring efforts so far have mostly been further down the ballot.
—Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
One of the largest efforts supporting these programs is the Johnson County Master Gardener Public Garden Tour.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2026
Because Democrats promised that some of these redistricting efforts were going to be temporary.
—NBC news, 3 May 2026
Is this a reasonable prosecution in response to Morens’s apparent efforts to avoid public-records laws, or an excuse to harass scientists involved in the 2020 COVID response—or both?
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Other changes would require private guardians to attest to the court that their efforts to locate family or friends were exhausted prior to appointment.
—Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
His defensive contributions have aided four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert’s efforts guarding Jokić, the three-time MVP, one-on-one.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Stocks advanced and the dollar slipped following a report that Iran offered the US a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, easing concern that efforts to restart peace talks had stalled.
—Anand Krishnamoorthy, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for efforts
Noun
-
The city is home to several in-the-works multi-million dollar developments, and is an attractive place for people looking to move to Parker County for its spacious land and proximity to successful school districts.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 May 2026
-
Like Ando’s architecture, Turrell makes the kind of immersive, site-specific art people travel great distances for, and Benesse has commissioned several of the American artist’s works, the rest of which can be found at the Chichu Art Museum.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Ahmad plays Shah Latif, a British Pakistani actor, who, owing to the exertions of his faithful, often frustrated agent, Felicia (Weruche Opia), is improbably auditioning to be the next James Bond.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
That, plus an extra day to recover from their European exertions, with Forest also going to extra time and penalties in Denmark on Thursday, leads me to switch to a home win.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Feerick took pains to explain that Section 4 is not designed to be a tool used by an opposition party to remove a President.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The results came so fast that the normal MLS growing pains — the ugly nights, the roster strain, the tactical doubt, the emotional drag of losing — seemed to skip San Diego entirely.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
That would represent growth of 66% in capital expenditures for the year—an additional $200 billion—over 2025, Samik Chatterjee and his colleagues estimate.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Matthew Burry, an accountant with Whittlesey who was reviewing Blue Hills expenditures, emailed Gallon-Clark in March 2024 to flag several potential issues with one of the two $600,000 payments that Cicero’s businesses received.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Efforts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/efforts. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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