STRIVE Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'strive' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of strive are attempt , endeavor , essay , and try . While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort. // continues to strive for peace

Q: Where would 'attempt' be a reasonable alternative to 'strive'?

The words attempt and strive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort. // will attempt to photograph the rare bird

Q: When is 'endeavor' a more appropriate choice than 'strive'?

Although the words endeavor and strive have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty. // endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

Q: When is it sensible to use 'essay' instead of 'strive'?

In some situations, the words essay and strive are roughly equivalent. However, essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting. // will essay a dramatic role for the first time

Q: How do 'try' and 'attempt' relate to one another, in the sense of 'strive'?

Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something. // tried to determine which was the better procedure

strive

verb

ˈstrīv

Definition of strive

as in to try

to make an effort to do let us strive to make the most of this opportunity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to struggle

to devote serious and sustained effort not only must we strive for peace in time of war, we must strive mightily to maintain that peace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb strive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of strive are attempt, endeavor, essay, and try. While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

Where would attempt be a reasonable alternative to strive?

The words attempt and strive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

When is endeavor a more appropriate choice than strive?

Although the words endeavor and strive have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

When is it sensible to use essay instead of strive?

In some situations, the words essay and strive are roughly equivalent. However, essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of strive?

Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of strive Meanwhile, Wallis’ Angie is simply a resourceful single mother striving to get home to her 6-year-old daughter. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 That’s a point well taken and something everybody in life should strive for, and as such, the film rallies to inject a bit of emotion into the narrative as Jane, Coco and Sophie’s friendship with Mel reaches a breaking point. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Consider the plant height and strive for a palette that offers a succession of blooms. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Aug. 2026 The league will strive to avoid the potential unintended consequences referenced above. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strive

Verb

Williams, of course, is trying to grab the next elevator to stardom.

— Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Keep it simple instead of trying to change everything at once.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of try

Verb

Three days later, the team brought in Moody, the former Michigan standout who has also struggled at times in his young career.

— Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Restaurants and private grocery stores are struggling to stay open because of higher supply costs and lower consumption.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of struggle

Verb

In response to follow-up questions from The Bee, DHS sent a second statement Thursday afternoon that stated officers were attempting to locate one specific man who had two prior removals and listed the commercial building as his address.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
If for some reason a franchise deliberately attempted to minimize the impact of an incredible group of skill players, the result would look a lot like the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles.

— Andy Behrens, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of attempt

Verb

Humans engaged user interfaces to command software and engage with outputs like dashboards, while APIs labored in the background.

— George C. Lee II, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Thoroughly unimpressed by her suburban idyll, and evidently unmoved by her responsibilities as wife and mother, Denise labors in her basement on a novel whose protagonist wishes to forsake her family for a life in New York.

— Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of labor

Verb

The singer also looked back at their time working together and celebrated Parton’s legacy.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Netflix has worked assiduously to burnish its reputation as a home for advertisers seeking to align themselves with its popular programs and eager to avoid the traditional model of deploying typical 30-second commercials.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of work

Verb

During a contentious hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, suggested that the whole endeavor stank.

— Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Imagining a New Way to Connect Vehicles Self-driving vehicle technology has largely been an each-car-for-itself endeavor.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of endeavor

Browse Nearby Words

strips (down)

strive

striven

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“Strive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of strive

verb

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