strive

[ strahyv ]
See synonyms for strive on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object),strove [strohv] /stroʊv/ or strived, striv·en [striv-uhn] /ˈstrɪv ən/ or strived, striv·ing.
  1. to exert oneself vigorously; try hard: He strove to make himself understood.

  2. to make strenuous efforts toward any goal: to strive for success.

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

  2. to struggle vigorously, as in opposition or resistance: to strive against fate.

  3. to rival; vie.

Origin of strive

1
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”

synonym study For strive

1. See try.

Other words for strive

Other words from strive

  • striv·er, noun
  • in·ter·strive, verb (used without object), in·ter·strove, in·ter·striv·en, in·ter·striv·ing.
  • out·strive, verb (used with object), out·strove, out·striv·en, out·striv·ing.
  • o·ver·strive, verb (used without object), o·ver·strove, o·ver·striv·en, o·ver·striv·ing.
  • re·strive, verb (used without object), re·strove, re·striv·en, re·striv·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for strive

strive

/ (straɪv) /


verbstrives, striving, strove or striven (ˈstrɪvən)
  1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to make a great and tenacious effort: to strive to get promotion

  2. (intr) to fight; contend

Origin of strive

1
C13: from Old French estriver, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German streben to strive, Old Norse strītha to fight

Derived forms of strive

  • striver, noun

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