endeavour

British  

/ ɪnˈdɛvə /

verb

1. to try (to do something)

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noun

1. an effort to do or attain something

Other Word Forms

• endeavourer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of endeavour

C14: endeveren , from _en- ¹ + -deveren from dever duty, from Old French deveir; see _devoirs

Explanation

To endeavour is to strive for something. The endeavour itself is the thing you're striving for, the enterprise or undertaking. It's a primarily British spelling of the word. The Middle English root of endeavour means to "put oneself in" or "do one's utmost," so if you endeavour to do something, you do it with earnestness and a fair amount of effort. Americans usually spell the word endeavor, but NASA named one of its space shuttles the Endeavour. Why the extra "u"? NASA was honoring the HMS Endeavour, the first ship ever used by the British explorer Captain James Cook.

Example Sentences

Burnham would need to win a parliamentary by-election and become an MP to enter a Labour leadership contest, a complicated endeavour fraught with risk and uncertainty.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

"I will endeavour in all I do, working constructively with the UK government, to get the best deal for Wales," he said.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

Reid Wiseman also said he'd had very honest conversations with his two daughters about the dangers involved with this endeavour.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

“A huge part of any mining endeavour is the cost of energy, so oil and gas surges will always hurt mining stocks,” Ash said.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

It was quite in vain for me to endeavour to make him sensible that he ought to speak to Miss Havisham.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens