Synonyms for endeavor
- noun
- verb
- American English
Most common
Definitions
- n. 1
A sincere attempt; a determined or assiduous effort towards a specific goal; assiduous or persistent activity.
- v. 1
To attempt through application of effort (to do something); to try strenuously.
She was endeavoring to teach us the elements of a good prose style.
Related words
- Other spellings
- endeavour UK
Forms
- Plural
- endeavors → efforts, undertakings, attempts, aims…
- Past participle
- endeavor'd
e.g. endeavor'd → strived, studied…
Choose the right word
All alike indicate the direction of endeavor. Aspiration, design, endeavor, purpose, referring to the mental acts by which the aim is attained, are often used as interchangeable with aim.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- effort A little more effort, and you will get on in life.
- attempt He failed in his attempt to swim across the river.
- aim I aim to address any misconceptions he might have.
- undertaking The undertaking was a failure from the beginning.
- enterprise This is hardly the time to start a new enterprise.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| endeavor | steady | |
| effort | falling | |
| attempt | steady | |
| aim | steady | |
| undertaking | falling | |
| enterprise | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- try1, aim1
- 4 letters
- push1, seek1, toil1
- 5 letters
- study2, trial2, labor2, essay2, assay2
- 6 letters
- effort2, labour2, strive1, doings2
- 7 letters
- attempt2, venture2, pursuit2
- 8 letters
- activity4, struggle2, exertion3
- 9 letters
- undertake3
- 10 letters
- enterprise3
- 11 letters
- undertaking4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (study2 = 2 syllables).