strive

1 to devote serious and sustained effort not only must we strive for peace in time of war, we must strive mightily to maintain that peace Synonyms bang away, beaver (away), dig (away), drudge, endeavor, fag, grub, hump, hustle, moil, peg (away), plod, plow, plug, slave, slog, strain, labor, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, tug, workRelated Words apply (oneself), buckle (down), dig in, hammer (away), knuckle down, pitch in; attack, drive; essay, try; exercise, exert, overexert, overwork; eke out, grind (out), put out, scrabble, scratch; trudge, wadeNear Antonyms break, ease (up), let up, slacken; bum, chill, dally, dillydally, footle, goldbrick, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), idle, laze, loaf, lounge, shirk, slack (off), veg out; bask, loll, relax, repose, rest, unwind; dabble, doodle, fool around, fribble, goof (around), hang, hang about [British], mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

2 to make an effort to do let us strive to make the most of this opportunity Synonyms assay, endeavor, essay, seek, attempt, tryRelated Words fight, strain, struggle, toil, trouble, work; aim, aspire, hope; assume, take up, undertakeNear Antonyms drop, give up, quit