strive

verb

ˈstrīv

strove ˈstrōv

also strived ˈstrīvd

; striven ˈstri-vən

or strived; striving ˈstrī-viŋ

Synonyms of strive next

intransitive verb

: to devote serious effort or energy : endeavor

strive to finish a project

: to struggle in opposition : contend

striver

ˈstrī-vər

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for strive

attempt, try, endeavor, essay, strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

Examples of strive in a Sentence

We must all strive to do better. She always strives for perfection. They continue to strive toward their goals.

Recent Examples on the Web Greater Albany Public Schools strives to provide a stellar education to all students. —

David Chiu, Peoplemag, 29 Sep. 2023 Johanna Mayer: That’s a reference to a Teddy Roosevelt speech about how hard work and striving should really be at the core of American ideals. —

Johanna Mayer, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2023 And by more, that means being the backbone of a defense striving to be considered top five nationally. —

Stephen Means, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2023 With all those factors adding up to a credit score, people strive for a score of over 800. —

Peter Cordi, Washington Examiner, 28 Sep. 2023 The agricultural program ensures garments are fully traceable back to farms that strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and energy consumption while encouraging biodiversity. —

Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2023 The cosmopolitan student body and faculty ensure an exciting but dispassionate approach to studying change, reflecting a true diversity of opinions while striving to incorporate Asian perspectives. —

Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2023 The Cowboys are striving to equal that record this season. —

David Moore, Dallas News, 5 Sep. 2023 Like Alcaraz, Shelton is striving to be an all-court entertainer. —

Gerald Marzorati, The New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.