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

Derived 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

At the same event, Security Minister Dan Jarvis will implore AI firms to work with the government on the "generational endeavour" to make sure AI is used to protect critical networks from attackers.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 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

This is a costly endeavour and something the industry says it should not be responsible for.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

However, after several days of endeavour, in which I myself did my best to assist, his lordship was not able to discover the whereabouts of any of Herr Bremann's family.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro