Strive is a verb meaning to make great efforts or determined attempts to achieve a goal, often despite difficulties. It implies sustained effort, intention, and perseverance, rather than casual wishing; you push forward with purpose and energy to reach a target. It is commonly used in contexts of personal, professional, or moral striving.
"She will strive to finish the project before the deadline."
"They strive for excellence in every aspect of their work."
"Residents strive to improve community health and safety."
"He strives to master the piano repertoire through daily practice."
Strive derives from the Old English word strivean, which meant to wrestle, strive, or contend, and is related to the Proto-Germanic stribaną, meaning to contend or strive. The verb developed to convey vigorous effort toward a goal, especially amid obstacles. Its earliest uses in English literature appear in the Middle Ages, where it described strenuous exertion in both physical and moral senses. The modern nuance of sustained, purposeful effort toward an objective solidified over time, with the word entering broader usage in the 16th and 17th centuries as education, religion, and self-improvement rhetoric emphasized perseverance. The form evolved through Middle English, maintaining the root idea of battling or contending, whether in a literal contest or an ethical or intellectual pursuit.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Strive" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Strive"
-ive sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /straɪv/. It’s a single syllable with initial /str/ cluster, followed by the /aɪ/ diphthong and ending in /v/. The mouth starts with a broad /s/ and a woven /str/ blend, the tongue highs rise through /aɪ/, and the lips finish near neutral with the voiceless release of /v/ becoming a voiced labiodental fricative. Tip: keep the /ɪ/ from drifting; it’s a steady /aɪ/ glide rather than a short vowel.
Common mistakes include mispronouncing the /aɪ/ as a short /ɪ/ (scriped ‘striv’), or pronouncing the final /v/ as /f/ (strif). Another error is softening the /r/ in non-rhotic contexts. To correct: ensure the diphthong is clear as /aɪ/ with a smooth glide from /ɜ/ towards /i/ and keep voicing on the final /v/ by gently touching the bottom lip to the upper teeth.
In US/UK/AU, /straɪv/ remains rhotic and the /r/ sound influence is minimal in non-rhotic dialects. The /aɪ/ diphthong quality can be slightly longer in US casual speech; UK and AU may exhibit a marginally shorter /aɪ/ and stronger vowels around the surrounding consonants. The final /v/ remains a voiced labiodental fricative in all three, but aspiration and surrounding vowel quality can slightly shift with accent.
The difficulty lies in the initial consonant cluster /str/ followed quickly by the high front diphthong /aɪ/. Coordinating the tongue edge for /s/ and the alveolar trill-like feel of /t/ before the /r/ requires precise timing. The end is a devoiced yet voiced /v/ blend that can soften in fast speech. Focus on a clean /str/ onset and a crisp /aɪ/ glide into /v/.
Strive uniquely features a hard /v/ closing sound after a straight /aɪ/ glide; there is no trailing consonant, and the /r/ is not fully rhotic in some accents. This makes the transition from the diphthong to the final /v/ essential: ensure your lower lip lightly contacts the upper teeth for /v/ without rounding the lips too early. Practicing with minimal pairs like ‘strove’ can help contrast the closed vs. open vowel quality.
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