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

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

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

This is the first time the feat has been achieved in the UK because drilling this far down is a technically and financially costly endeavour.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

It had formerly been my endeavour to study all sides of his character: to take the bad with the good; and from the just weighing of both, to form an equitable judgment.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë