Synonyms

strive

American

[strahyv] / straɪv /

verb (used without object)

to exert oneself vigorously; try hard.

He strove to make himself understood.
to make strenuous efforts toward any goal.

to strive for success.

Synonyms:

toil
to contend in opposition, battle, or any conflict; compete.

Synonyms:

fight, struggle
to struggle vigorously, as in opposition or resistance.

to strive against fate.
to rival; vie.

strive British

/ straɪv /

verb

(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to make a great and tenacious effort

to strive to get promotion
(intr) to fight; contend

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See try.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing strive

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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.

See Examples For:

strive strives strived strove striven striving

Teenagers and young adults strive for deeper conversations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Legitimate pollsters strive to be transparent about who’s conducting them, who’s funding them, and the methods they use.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026

“This was an inexcusable mistake and I take full responsibility. What I did does not reflect my values or the man I strive to be for my family.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

So whether they end it with you or vice versa, that’s an outcome that you should actually strive for if the person isn’t a good fit.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

"I'm wounded. I strive to look elegant every day."

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Sonos CMO Colleen DeCourcy is surrounding herself with creative “player-coaches” and opening a “creative cultural space” in New York as she strives to move the brand past memories of its botched app update.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Though “One Man In” strives for drama, its greatest rewards may not be what the author intended.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Chesney called Martin an unbelievable leader and said that his energy will give people a window into what his program strives to look like.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Those who know him well - or covered his playing career for many years - will describe him as a curious person who strives to do everything to the best of his ability.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026

Although not illegal, indulging in the so-called grandmaster draw—in which neither player strives to win but, rather, halves the point after a few inconsequential moves have been made—bordered on unprincipled behavior.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

"Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority," he wrote on X.

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

Gellar also praised their fans for allowing them to enjoy a very private life at home with their children, noting that they have always strived to keep their more intimate family life behind closed doors.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

The disintegration of Willy’s mind reflects its cause, the disintegration of the family for which he has strived and sold himself—and his tattered, tarnished soul—for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

World Rugby, the WRU and the RFU previously said that they "constantly strived to safeguard" future, current and former players.

From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026

I do believe mortals strived more heartily toward their goals, because they knew that time was of the essence.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

SKW posted losses three years in a row as the country strove to wean itself off cheap Russian energy supplies.

From Barron's ● May 3, 2026

Less attention has been paid to the ways in which enslaved people strove for emancipation through acts of resistance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026

The City of Bulawayo, led by mayor David Coltart, said Mr Moyo would be remembered as an "iconic leader ... and creative" who "strove to champion the arts" in the city and beyond.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2025

There were some carers who strove to make the lives of residents better and who managed to carve out time in their busy days to engage but those moments were few and far between.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2025

Now it was Taran who strove desperately to ward off Coll’s blows.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

He has striven to place Cohere as a sovereign alternative in both the European and Asian markets.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Europeans have striven this year to maintain U.S. backing for Ukraine—or at least blunt a reduction in U.S. support.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025

Over the last decade and a half, the king has striven to raise his son’s public profile, including taking him to the United Nations General Assembly to speak in 2017.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

“Memorial” does for Lin’s legacy what she has striven to do in her work — invite people to consider uncomfortable truths.

From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2023

Therefore, from the point of view of the new groups who were on the point of seizing power, human equality was no longer an ideal to be striven after, but a danger to be averted.

From "1984" by George Orwell

At a time when he thinks standards have been slipping though, striving for a classic is more important than ever.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026

That would blow past the historic goal agreed in Paris: keeping warming well below 2C while striving for a safer 1.5C.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

It is striving to begin delivering vehicles to European customers by the end of 2027.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

“It’s about striving for perfection, which, of course, is impossible. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reach for it,” says Ian.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Because the disease was crippling, it may have provided Roosevelt with a greater compassion for the underdog; or perhaps it improved his striving for success.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023