effort

American  

[ef-ert] / ˈɛf ərt /

noun

• efforts
  plural

1. exertion of physical or mental power.

   It will take great effort to achieve victory.

   Synonyms:

   striving, struggle

2. an earnest or strenuous attempt.

   an effort to keep to the schedule.

3. something done by exertion or hard work.

   I thought it would be easy, but it was an effort.

4. an achievement, as in literature or art.

   The painting is one of his finest efforts.

5. the amount of exertion expended for a specified purpose.

   the war effort.

6. Chiefly British.

   1. an organized community drive or achievement.

   2. a fund-raising drive.

7. Mechanics. the force or energy that is applied to a machine for the accomplishment of useful work.

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effort British  

/ ˈɛfət /

noun

1. physical or mental exertion, usually considerable when unqualified

   the rock was moved with effort

2. a determined attempt

   our effort to save him failed

3. achievement; creation

   a great literary effort

4. physics an applied force acting against inertia

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effort Scientific  

/ ĕf′ərt /

1. Force applied against inertia.

2. The force needed by a machine in order to accomplish work on a load.

3. Compare load

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effort Idioms  

1. see all out (effort); last-ditch effort.

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Synonym Usage

Effort, application, endeavor, exertion imply actions directed or force expended toward a definite end. Effort is an expenditure of energy to accomplish some objective: He made an effort to control himself. Application is continuous effort plus careful attention: constant application to duties. Endeavor means a continued and sustained series of efforts to achieve some, often worthy and difficult, end: a constant endeavor to be useful. Exertion is the vigorous and often strenuous expenditure of energy, frequently without an end: out of breath from exertion.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• countereffort
  noun
• overeffort
  noun
• preeffort
  noun
• effortful
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• efforts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of effort

First recorded in 1480–90; from Middle French, from Old French esfort, esforz, derivative of esforcier “to force” ( es- ex- ¹ + forcier force )

Explanation

Effort has to do with how much work you're putting into something. A great achievement can also be considered a great effort. Effort has to do with how hard you're trying. If something is easy, it doesn't take much effort. If it's hard, it takes a lot of effort. Effort is about trying to get something done, even if it doesn't always work out. In sports, coaches don't like losing, but they really hate it when the players aren't giving much effort. There are also large scale, collective efforts, like the effort to cure cancer.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

effort efforts

Watson said the plans formed part of a wider effort across the Channel Islands to safeguard marine environments, including a plan to protect more than 20% of Jersey's waters.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Their work is part of a broader effort to better understand the processes responsible for the calving and retreat of Arctic ice shelves.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

Then there is her Imagination Library, which has reportedly distributed over 300 million books to children around the world since its launch in the late 1980s — an effort Dolly counted as her proudest achievement.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

But other leaders are heading that effort, not Malone, some of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Helen and Tillie also make an effort at returning to their meals, forcing down unconvincing mouthfuls of food and making strained conversation about a book the two of them have read.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Despite resuscitation efforts he was pronounced dead, the inquest was told.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

A flurry of positive headlines around diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz soothed oil investors, sending global oil benchmarks below $87 a barrel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

A clearer understanding of species boundaries can also improve efforts to return pangolins to areas where they once lived.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

Supporters describe both bills as “commonsense” efforts to expand access to affordable clean energy and give households more control.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Its stomach was so full that for all its efforts, it could get no more than a few inches off the floor.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

Related Words

• achievement
• attempt
• battle
• creation
• endeavor
• exercise
• force
• industry
• intention
• power
• production
• push
• resolution
• struggle
• training