strove

[strohv] / stroʊv /

VERB

try for, exert oneself

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aim endeavor go all out seek tackle

STRONG

assay attempt compete contend drive essay fight hassle jockey labor moil offer push scramble strain struggle sweat toil tug work

WEAK

bear down bend over backward break one's neck do one's best do one's utmost go after go for broke go for the jugular go the limit knock oneself out leave no stone unturned make every effort shoot for take on try hard

Antonyms

STRONGEST

neglect

STRONG

agree discourage dissuade idle laze make peace relax repress rest surrender yield

WEAK

forget skip

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

SKW posted losses three years in a row as the country strove to wean itself off cheap Russian energy supplies.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

In the era of high-risk high-reward batting, where contributions were not measured in milestones, Samson became the folk hero who strove only for high impact and was rewarded with consistency by the cricketing gods.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Like Ronald Reagan and George Shultz, Cheney believed in free markets and America’s founding principles, and he strove to deflect crises that could endanger them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

Hodge calls the Cornell-educated actor “a genius” and says she strove to pull Riri’s dialogue up to the level of Thorne’s intellect, rather than the other way around.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2025

The small limbs had firm floor under them; they obeyed perfectly, as he noticed to his joy, and strove to earn’ him forward in the direction he wanted.

From "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka