endeavor

American  

[en-dev-er] / ɛnˈdɛv ər /

especially British, endeavour

verb (used without object)

1. to exert oneself to do or effect something; make an effort; strive.

   We must constantly endeavor if we are to succeed.

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verb (used with object)

1. to attempt; try.

   He endeavors to keep things neat in his apartment.

2. Archaic. to attempt to achieve or gain.

noun

• endeavors
  plural

1. a strenuous effort; attempt.

Synonym Usage

See try. See effort.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• endeavorer
  noun
• preendeavor
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• endeavors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of endeavor

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English endeveren, from the phrase putten in devoir “to make an effort, assume responsibility”; compare Anglo-French se mettre en deveir. See en- ¹, devoir

Explanation

When you endeavor to do something, you try hard to make it happen. A determined student might endeavor to get straight As on her report card. "The ordinary objects of human endeavor — property, outward success, luxury — have always seemed to me contemptible," wrote Albert Einstein. Presumably, NASA had loftier objects in mind when they named one of their space shuttles Endeavour, using the British spelling. The word comes from the Old French phrase mettre en deveir, or "put in duty." As a verb, it's a more impressive word than try and suggests you're doing your darnedest to make something happen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

endeavor endeavors

The $3.3-billion endeavor is the most anticipated project in the airport’s $30-billion overhaul.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

But the sport is a pricey business endeavor: McCulloch said that the cost to install one padel court can be around $50,000 because of the glass and other materials for the walls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

In this year’s special end-of-term series, we endeavor to answer that question.

From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026

A real tribute to America is a worthy endeavor.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026

A Meecham gets the best grades, wins the most awards, excels in sports, is the most popular, and is always found near the top no matter what endeavor he undertakes.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

At the same time, investors have been increasingly questioning the return on investment of Alphabet’s AI endeavors, especially amid delays and high-profile departures from the company’s DeepMind lab.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

The sailors and pearl divers of the Indian Ocean had intimate understandings of shallow reefs—“vernacular knowledge”—that often aided British endeavors to draw maps and document marine life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

A slew of “SNL” castmates, alumni and hosts filled the comments section of Fineman’s post, wishing the comedian luck in future endeavors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

“These wars served as springboard for the United States to engage in widespread global diplomatic endeavors and allowed them to become a stronger nation as a whole.”

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

And in a sense she would be right: the poor have disappeared from the culture at large, from its political rhetoric and intellectual endeavors as well as from its daily entertainment.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Related Words

• aim
• effort
• enterprise
• struggle
• undertaking
• venture