strive /straɪv/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense strove /strəʊv $ stroʊv/, past participle striven /ˈstrɪv ə n/) [intransitive] formal
[ Date: 1100-1200 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: estriver ]
to make a great effort to achieve something
strive to do something
I was still striving to be successful.
strive for/after
We must continue to strive for greater efficiency.
—striving noun [uncountable and countable]
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THESAURUS
▪ try to take action in order to do something that you may not be able to do:
I tried to explain what was wrong.
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He tries hard in class, but he’s finding the work difficult.
▪ attempt to try to do something, especially something difficult. Attempt is more formal than try and is used especially in written English:
Any prisoner who attempts to escape will be shot.
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He was attempting to climb one of the world’s highest mountains.
▪ do your best to try as hard as you can to do something:
We will do our best to help them.
▪ make an effort to do something to try to do something, when you find this difficult:
It is worth making an effort to master these skills.
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She made a big effort to be nice to him.
▪ struggle to try very hard to do something that is very difficult, especially for a long time:
She’s still struggling to give up smoking.
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Many of these families are struggling to survive.
▪ strive formal to try very hard to achieve something:
The company must constantly strive for greater efficiency.
▪ endeavour British English , endeavor American English /ɪnˈdevə $ -ər/ formal to try hard to do something:
Each employee shall endeavour to provide customers with the best service possible.
▪ have a go/try informal to try to do something, especially when you are not sure that you will succeed:
I’m not very good at fixing taps, but I’ll have a go.
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Do you want to have another try?
▪ see if you can do something spoken to try to do something – used when offering to do something, or suggesting that someone should do something:
I’ll see if I can get you a ticket.
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See if you can persuade her to come.