strive

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with strive

strive for Prepositional verb B2

to make a serious effort to achieve something

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

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

strive for
to make a serious effort to achieve something

Verb + preposition/particle

Simplified etymology

Strive comes from a shortened form of Old French estriver, “to strive.” In early English it could describe conflict as well as people striving together.

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

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

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
- Actions & Processes

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