strive for — to try very hard to achieve something
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to try very hard to achieve something
Pronunciation (IPA): /straɪv fɔːr/
Example Sentences
- My cat strives for the perfect nap spot every single day.
- Students should strive for academic excellence.
- The company strives for zero waste production.
strive for
NOUN[/straɪv fɔːr/]
to try very hard to achieve something
The determined climber continued to strive for the summit despite his exhaustion.
The athlete continued to strive for the finish despite his shaking arms. (STR (stretching/straining) + IVING (moving toward))
After surviving the storm and arriving at base camp, he continued to strive for the summit.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The verb 'strive' derives from Old French 'estriver', meaning 'to fight' or 'to compete'. Through semantic evolution, the meaning broadened to encompass 'to make earnest efforts' or 'to endeavor', reflecting a shift from physical conflict to determined effort.
Breakdown
Old French 'estriver' (to fight, compete) → Middle English 'striven' → Modern English 'strive' (to make vigorous efforts). The morphological transition reflects Norman linguistic influence on English vocabulary during the medieval period.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat strives for the perfect nap spot every single day.”
“Students should strive for academic excellence.”
“The company strives for zero waste production.”
“He strives for world peace but can't even make peace with his alarm clock.”
📚Related Words
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