strive

B2 Topic:Time

US /ˈstɹaɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #13330

Meanings

1

verb
To try very hard over time to achieve something.

She strives to do her best in everything she takes on.
2

verb
To struggle or fight against something.

For years they strove against poverty and hardship.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to try very hard over time... pursue seek endeavor

More keep put

Word family

Forms strivedstrivenstrivesstrivingstrove

Derived forms gainstriveoverstriverestrivestriverstrivinglyunstrivingupstrive

Related forms strife

Etymology

From Middle English striven (“to strive”), from Old French estriver (“to compete, quarrel”), from Frankish *strīban (“to exert, make an effort”) from Proto-Germanic *strībaną, or from Frankish *stribēn (“to strive”) from Proto-Germanic *stribāną. As this verb is conjugated as if it were a strong verb (like drive, ride, and write), it is possible this word may instead be inherited from an unattested Old English *strīfan or *strifian, which would itself also be inherited from Proto-Germanic *strībaną.

striven Middle English estriver Old French *strīban frk *strībaną Proto-Germanic *stribēn frk *stribāną Proto-Germanic

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External links

# strive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈstɹaɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 13330

## Meanings
1. To try very hard over time to achieve something.
2. To struggle or fight against something.

## Examples
- She strives to do her best in everything she takes on.
- For years they strove against poverty and hardship.

## Synonyms
- keep
- put

## Derived Forms
- gainstrive
- overstrive
- restrive
- striver
- strivingly
- unstriving
- upstrive

## Related Forms
- strife

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: striven
- Root: estriver
- Root: *strīban
- Root: *strībaną
- Root: *stribēn
- Root: *stribāną

## Etymology
From Middle English striven (“to strive”), from Old French estriver (“to compete, quarrel”), from Frankish *strīban (“to exert, make an effort”) from Proto-Germanic *strībaną, or from Frankish *stribēn (“to strive”) from Proto-Germanic *stribāną. As this verb is conjugated as if it were a strong verb (like drive, ride, and write), it is possible this word may instead be inherited from an unattested Old English *strīfan or *strifian, which would itself also be inherited from Proto-Germanic *strībaną.

## AI Etymology
Strive is from Middle English striven (“to strive”), from Old French estriver (“to compete, quarrel”), from Frankish *strīban (“to exert, make an effort”) from Proto-Germanic *strībaną, or from Frankish *stribēn (“to strive”) from Proto-Germanic *stribāną. As this verb is conjugated as if it were a strong verb (like drive, ride, and write), it is possible this word may instead be inherited from an unattested Old English *strīfan or *strifian, which would itself also be inherited from Proto-Germanic *strībaną.

## Topics
- Time

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strive

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