# strive

/ˈstɹaɪv/ (US) · /stɹˈaɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/strive
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to try hard

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to try very hard to do or get something.

For teachers: to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something; to exert oneself vigorously.

- We must strive for a better future for our children.
- The organisation continues to strive for excellence in every aspect of its operations, despite the significant budgetary constraints it faces.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'for' or an infinitive with 'to'.

### 2. to compete or struggle

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

to compete with someone or struggle against something.

For teachers: to struggle in opposition or to contend in rivalry.

- The two athletes strove against each other for the gold medal.
- In his poetry, he describes the human spirit as it strives against the inevitable passage of time and the fading of memory.

Usage: Usually takes the preposition 'with' or 'against'.

Teaching tip: This sense is largely literary; in modern speech, 'compete' or 'struggle' is much more common.

## Examples

- We must strive to improve our service every day.
- The non-profit organization continues to strive for equality in the local housing market despite limited funding.
- In his final address, the philosopher argued that humans must strive for excellence not for the sake of recognition, but as a fundamental duty to their own potential.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.