Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense strives, present participle strivinglanguage note: The past tense is either strove or strived, and the past participle is either striven or strived.
verb
If you striveto do something or strivefor something, you make a great effort to do it or get it.
He strives hard to keep himself very fit. [VERB to-infinitive]
She strove to read the name on the stone pillar. [VERB to-infinitive]
The region must now strive for economic development as well as peace. [VERB + for]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: try, labour, struggle, fight More Synonyms of strive
strivingWord forms: plural strivingsuncountable noun [also NOUN in plural]
...a politician consumed by his own passionate striving for leadership.
strive in British English
(straɪv)
verbWord forms: strives, striving, strove or striven (ˈstrɪvən)
1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive)
to make a great and tenacious effort
to strive to get promotion
2. (intransitive)
to fight; contend
Derived forms
striver (ˈstriver)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French estriver, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German streben to strive, Old Norse strītha to fight
strive in American English
(straɪv)
verb intransitiveWord forms: strove or strived, ˈstriven (ˈstrɪvən) or strived, ˈstriving
1.
to make great efforts; try very hard
to strive to win
2.
to be in conflict; struggle; contend; fight
to strive against oppression
3. Obsolete
to compete; vie
SIMILAR WORDS: try
Derived forms
striver (ˈstriver)
noun
Word origin
ME striven < OFr estriver, to quarrel, contend < estrif, effort < Gmc, as in MHG striben, obs. Du strijven, to strive, struggle < IE *streibh- (> Gr striphnos, hard, solid) < base *(s)ter-, rigid > stare
Examples of 'strive' in a sentence
strive
She strove to make a home in difficult circumstances.
Adam Sisman The Friendship: Wordsworth and Coleridge (2006)
We work hard to strive for the things we want.
The Sun (2014)
You have to keep striving for more.
The Sun (2008)
She strove for something better than she had known in her childhood.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The standards they set are something we still strive for here now.
The Sun (2015)
We must strive to get it right.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
My goal is to continue to strive to make good music that touches people.
The Sun (2010)
It also strives too hard for impact.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
We are going to keep striving to get better.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Setting numerical goals gives you something to strive for.
Christianity Today (2000)
Governments and families must strive to ensure that they are fulfilling.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Nor had it implanted itself in the public consciousness as something worth striving for.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But it must tirelessly strive to be relevant to the people who use it.
The Sun (2013)
The company has been striving to keep details of the phone secret.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It is certainly something we will strive towards.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Banks must strive to balance assets and liabilities in countries that might devalue.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We've always put a lot into our shows and always strive to make the experience better.
The Sun (2010)
Yet they fought hard, striving for an equaliser.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The vast maJority will turn up and strive hard for a positive outcome.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
During a period of industrialization, those who hold power strive to make of theirsubjects valuable workers.
The Times Literary Supplement (2011)
I understand his sentiments and you should certainly strive hard to declare with his sort of hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In recent years, science and religion have come more and more into alliance through their common striving for peace.
Dyson, Freeman Infinite in All Directions (1989)
The grocer's daughter would have been striving to make life easier for those who want to run their own businesses.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In societies which are striving for peace, not war, then they are a liability.
Crowley, Vivianne Phoenix From the Flame (1994)
In other languages
strive
British English: strive VERB
If you strive to do something or strive for something, you make a great effort to do it or get it.
He strives hard to keep himself very fit.
American English: strive
Brazilian Portuguese: esforçar-se
Chinese: 努力
European Spanish: esforzarse
French: s'efforcer
German: streben
Italian: sforzarsi
Japanese: 努力する
Korean: 노력하다
European Portuguese: esforçar-se
Latin American Spanish: esforzarse
Chinese translation of 'strive'
strive
(straɪv)
Word forms:ptstrove
Word forms:ppstriven (ˈstrɪvn)
vi
to strive for sth/to do sth力争(爭)某事/做某事 (lìzhēng mǒushì/zuò mǒushì)
(verb)
Definition
to make a great effort
He strives hard to keep himself very fit.
Synonyms
try
He secretly tried to block her advancement in the Party.
labour
For years he laboured to build a religious community.
struggle
They had to struggle against all kinds of adversity.
fight
He had to fight hard for his place in the team.
attempt
We attempted to do something like that here.
compete
The stores will inevitably end up competing with each other for increased market shares.
strain
Several thousand supporters strained to catch a glimpse of the new president.
contend
The two main groups contended for power.
endeavour
I will endeavour to rectify the situation.
go for it (informal)
try hard
toil
Boys toiled in the hot sun to finish the wall.
make every effort
go all out (informal)
bend over backwards (informal)
People are bending over backwards to please customers.
do your best
go for broke (slang)
leave no stone unturned
bust a gut (informal)
do all you can
give it your best shot (informal)
jump through hoops (informal)
break your neck (informal)
exert yourself
He never exerts himself for other people.
make an all-out effort (informal)
knock yourself out (informal)
do your utmost
do your damnedest (informal)
give it your all (informal)
rupture yourself (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of attempt
Definition
to make an effort (to do or achieve something)
We attempted to do something like that here.
Synonyms
try,
seek,
aim,
struggle,
tackle,
take on,
experiment,
venture,
undertake,
essay (formal),
strive,
endeavour,
have a go at (informal),
make an effort,
make an attempt,
have a crack at,
have a shot at (informal),
try your hand at,
do your best to,
jump through hoops (informal),
have a stab at (informal),
take the bit between your teeth
in the sense of bend over backwards
People are bending over backwards to please customers.
Synonyms
try,
endeavour,
try hard,
toil,
make every effort,
go all out (informal),
do your best,
bust a gut (informal),
do all you can,
give it your best shot (informal),
jump through hoops (informal),
break your neck (informal),
exert yourself,
do your utmost,
do your damnedest (informal),
give it your all (informal),
rupture yourself (informal),
drive someone round the bend
in the sense of compete
Definition
to strive (to achieve something or to be successful)
The stores will inevitably end up competing with each other for increased market shares.
Synonyms
contend,
fight,
rival,
vie,
challenge,
struggle,
contest,
strive,
emulate,
pit yourself against
Synonyms of 'strive'
strive
Explore 'strive' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of contend
Definition
to compete or fight
The two main groups contended for power.
Synonyms
compete,
fight,
struggle,
clash,
contest,
strive,
emulate,
vie,
grapple,
jostle,
skirmish,
dispute
in the sense of endeavour
Definition
to try (to do something)
I will endeavour to rectify the situation.
Synonyms
try,
labour,
attempt,
aim,
struggle,
venture,
undertake,
essay (formal),
strive,
aspire,
have a go,
go for it (informal),
make an effort,
have a shot (informal),
have a crack (informal),
take pains,
bend over backwards (informal),
do your best,
go for broke (slang),
bust a gut (informal),
give it your best shot (informal),
jump through hoops (informal),
have a stab (informal),
break your neck (informal),
make an all-out effort (informal),
knock yourself out (informal),
do your damnedest (informal),
give it your all (informal),
rupture yourself (informal)
in the sense of exert yourself
Definition
to make a special effort
He never exerts himself for other people.
Synonyms
make an effort,
work,
labour,
struggle,
strain,
strive,
endeavour,
go for it (informal),
try hard,
toil,
bend over backwards (informal),
do your best,
go for broke (slang),
bust a gut (informal),
spare no effort,
make a great effort,
give it your best shot (informal),
break your neck (informal),
apply yourself,
put yourself out,
make an all-out effort (informal),
get your finger out (British, informal),
pull your finger out (British, informal),
knock yourself out (informal),
do your damnedest (informal),
give it your all (informal),
rupture yourself (informal)
in the sense of fight
He had to fight hard for his place in the team.
Synonyms
strive,
battle,
push,
struggle,
contend
in the sense of labour
Definition
to work hard (for something)
For years he laboured to build a religious community.
Synonyms
struggle,
work,
strain,
work hard,
strive,
go for it (informal),
grapple,
toil,
make an effort,
make every effort,
do your best,
exert yourself,
work like a Trojan
in the sense of strain
Definition
to make an intense effort
Several thousand supporters strained to catch a glimpse of the new president.
Synonyms
strive,
struggle,
endeavour,
labour,
go for it (informal),
bend over backwards (informal),
go for broke (slang),
go all out for (informal),
bust a gut (informal),
give it your best shot (informal),
make an all-out effort (informal),
knock yourself out (informal),
do your damnedest (informal),
give it your all (informal),
break your back or neck (informal),
rupture yourself (informal)
in the sense of struggle
Definition
to work or strive
They had to struggle against all kinds of adversity.