strive
Americanverb (used without object)
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to exert oneself vigorously; try hard.
He strove to make himself understood.
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to make strenuous efforts toward any goal.
to strive for success.
- Synonyms:
- toil
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to contend in opposition, battle, or any conflict; compete.
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to struggle vigorously, as in opposition or resistance.
to strive against fate.
-
to rival; vie.
verb
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(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to make a great and tenacious effort
to strive to get promotion
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(intr) to fight; contend
Synonym Usage
See try.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
strivesimple
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strivessimple
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have strivedperfect
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have strivenperfect
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has strivedperfect
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has strivenperfect
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am strivingprogressive
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are strivingprogressive
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is strivingprogressive
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have been strivingperfect progressive
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has been strivingperfect progressive
Past
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strivedsimple
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strovesimple
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had strivedperfect
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had strivenperfect
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was strivingprogressive
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were strivingprogressive
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had been strivingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of strive
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English striven from Old French estriver “to quarrel, compete, strive” from Germanic; compare obsolete Dutch strijven, German streben “to strive”
Explanation
To strive is to endeavor, reach, or strain for something above or beyond. We strive for self-improvement, a better world, or success in general. The Old French origin of this word, estriver ("quarrel," "dispute"), had its 800th birthday not too long ago. Though it shares its roots with strife ("conflict"), it changed over the years (centuries, actually) to describe something more like a conflict with oneself, the attempt to overcome limitations and stay focused on a goal, regardless of whatever quarrels or disputes come up.
Vocabulary lists containing strive
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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"The Hill We Climb," by Amanda Gorman
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We strive to tell an apolitical, non-political story," said Santelli.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
It could strive to address our most fundamental problems with common-sense solutions, meaningfully improving Americans’ quality of life and raising the level of political discourse in the process.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Any malfeasance should be punished, and the system should always strive to improve.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
Bhatia said the visit can have a "positive impact" on Asean countries, as they "strive to develop a coherent approach to the Myanmar question".
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
“She’s a smart girl. She’s capable of so much. I just wish she understood how important it is to go to college. That she can strive to be something more than—more than...”
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
