effort

noun

ef·​fort ˈe-fərt How to pronounce effort (audio)
-ˌfȯrt
1
: conscious exertion of power : hard work
a job requiring time and effort
2
: a serious attempt : try
making an effort to reduce costs
3
: something produced by exertion or trying
the novel was her most ambitious effort
4
: effective force as distinguished from the possible resistance called into action by such a force
5
: the total work done to achieve a particular end
the war effort

Examples of effort in a Sentence

He put a lot of effort into finishing the project on time. It wasn't easy, but it was worth the effort. We need to expend more effort. The job will require a great deal of time and effort. Our success is due to the combined efforts of many people. Her efforts were rewarded with a new contract. He lost the campaign despite the best efforts of his supporters. Even though they didn't win, the team made a good effort. Her early efforts at writing a novel were awkward. Despite my best efforts, I never found out who she was.
Recent Examples on the Web The big picture: Trump's enormous effort to attract persuadable young male voters is running into a major problem: Many of them don't plan to vote. Noah Bressner, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024 The activities offered have also been expanded, particularly through the new Discovery Center which allows guests to learn about the conservation and community efforts of Oceans Without Borders, a marine conservation initiative managed jointly between andBeyond and Wild Impact. Laurie Werner, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 One such effort in that direction was the Democratic nominee’s recent series of campaign events with Liz Cheney, aimed at galvanizing never-Trump Republicans, mainly women. Jane Thier, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024 New ceasefire push The escalation came as the United States pushed for a new effort to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, that would end the war and see the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held captive in Gaza as well as many Palestinians jailed by Israel. Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for effort 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'effort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Old French esforz, esfort, from esforcier to force, from ex- + forcier to force

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near effort

efform

effort

effortful

Cite this Entry

“Effort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effort. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

effort

noun
ef·​fort ˈef-ərt How to pronounce effort (audio)
-ˌȯrt
1
: hard work of mind or body
requires time and effort
2
: a serious attempt : try
made a good effort
3
: something produced by work
this painting was one of my best efforts
4
: the force applied to a simple machine (as a lever) in contrast to the force applied by it against a load

More from Merriam-Webster on effort

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