overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

strive.

To try to achieve a result; to make strenuous effort; to try earnestly and persistently.

6 characters1 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

verb/ˈstɹaɪv/
  1. To try to achieve a result; to make strenuous effort; to try earnestly and persistently.

    He strove to excel.
    We strive for the truth.
  2. To struggle in opposition; to be in contention or dispute; to contend; to contest.

    to strive against fate
  3. To vie; to compete as a rival.

Where this word comes from

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.

noun/ˈstɹaɪv/
  1. Alternative form of strife.

    alt-of · alternative · obsolete
FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

strive has 6 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

strive studiostrive workshello, strive

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.