endeavor

1 of 2

verb

en·​deav·​or in-ˈde-vər How to pronounce endeavor (audio)
endeavored; endeavoring in-ˈde-v(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce endeavor (audio)
Synonyms of endeavornext

transitive verb

1
: to attempt (something, such as the fulfillment of an obligation) by exertion of effort
endeavors to finish the race
2
archaic : to strive to achieve or reach

intransitive verb

: to work with set purpose

endeavor

2 of 2

noun

1
: serious determined effort
2
: activity directed toward a goal : enterprise
fields of endeavor

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for endeavor

attempt, try, endeavor, essay, strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

tried to determine which was the better procedure

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

Examples of endeavor in a Sentence

Verb As urbanization advanced, it swept away the distinctive physical and social characteristics of the culture of the past, substituting undifferentiated built environments and standardized patterns of dress and behavior. Hand-camera users endeavored to reaffirm individuality and arrest time in the face of the encroaching depersonalization of existence. — Naomi Rosenblum, A World History of Photography, 1989
At some time in their careers, most good historians itch to write a history of the world, endeavor to discover what makes humanity the most destructive and creative of species. — Paul Johnson, New York Times Book Review, 7 Apr. 1985
The school endeavors to teach students to be good citizens.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Playing Major League Baseball is a prove it and prove it again and then prove it again forever endeavor. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025 Yet, for some reason those responsible for Maryland’s public schools are endeavoring to mandate a single approach to educating students, which must be replicated in every classroom. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
The latest endeavor from Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of the NCAA, is Points for Points, where 134 lucky Marriott Bonvoy members will be randomly selected to receive points equal to the total points scored during the 134 games of the 2025 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. — Demarco Williams, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 However, the endeavor is costing Intel tens of billions of dollars. — Michael Kan, PCMAG, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for endeavor

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English endeveren to exert oneself, from en- + dever duty — more at devoir

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of endeavor was in the 15th century

Rhymes for endeavor

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Browse Nearby Words

endeavor
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Cite this Entry

“Endeavor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endeavor. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

endeavor

verb
en·​deav·​or
in-ˈdev-ər
endeavored; endeavoring
-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to make an effort : try
2
: to work for a particular goal or result
endeavor noun

More from Merriam-Webster on endeavor

Nglish: Translation of endeavor for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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