endeavor 1 of 2

Definition of endeavornext
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something the hope that this latest endeavor will yield much information about the atmosphere of the planet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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endeavor

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb endeavor differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of endeavor are attempt, essay, strive, and try. While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains

Where would attempt be a reasonable alternative to endeavor?

The synonyms attempt and endeavor are sometimes interchangeable, but attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

will attempt to photograph the rare bird

When might essay be a better fit than endeavor?

Although the words essay and endeavor have much in common, essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

will essay a dramatic role for the first time

In what contexts can strive take the place of endeavor?

The meanings of strive and endeavor largely overlap; however, strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

continues to strive for peace

How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of endeavor?

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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of endeavor
Noun
Affiliate Network, his most recent endeavor, is best described as a social media middleman that links businesses with online content creators who make ads for them. New York Times, 1 June 2026 Isaji described the difficulties of such an endeavor. Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Verb
Having a set schedule made this evening endeavor more plausible. Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 The president signed an executive order on March 31 that attempts to change the rules on mail-in voting, and his allies in Congress are endeavoring to reshape elections ahead of the midterms this fall, spending weeks debating a voter-ID bill that is almost certainly doomed. Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for endeavor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for endeavor
Noun
  • In an attempt at shoring up the currency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month urged citizens to pause gold purchases, conserve fuel, and avoid overseas travel.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 June 2026
  • Not just a lethal injection problem Carruthers survived a lethal injection attempt, but execution failures have not been confined to that method.
    Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Her 50-something protagonist, Alan Anderson, and his socially striving wife Vivian, are at least about to start thinking about where their family is going to go, once Alan retreats to a backyard playhouse.
    Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
  • The Bears are also emphasizing ball placement with all of their quarterbacks, striving for pinpoint precision on throws as often as possible.
    Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Museums are sincerely trying to connect with their publics (even if these are often cast as consumers), and the horizon for that experiment is almost limitless.
    Katy Siegel, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • The request alleges Applegate tried to open Carpenter’s front door on May 23.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • As families struggle with rising costs, healthcare affordability has emerged as a defining issue heading into the midterms.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
  • The back-to-back deals offer one of the clearest signals yet that Abel is prepared to put Berkshire’s enormous balance sheet to work after years of criticism that the company had become too cautious and was struggling to find opportunities large enough to move the needle.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • The Thunder labored through a 111-103 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in a decisive Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
    Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • With evacuation shelters reaching capacity as more than 40,000 people were asked to leave their homes, officials laboring to prevent an explosion at a crippled chemical tank in Garden Grove reported tentative progress Sunday in ending the crisis.
    Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Verb
  • The walk-off home run came after the bullpen of the Twins (27-31) had worked four scoreless innings, taking over after a four-inning start from Taj Bradley.
    Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 30 May 2026
  • Ciber ’s team work quickly under netting to mount a huge Browning heavy machine gun onto tank tracks.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Endeavor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/endeavor. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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