STRIVING Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

striving 1 of 2

noun

as in struggle

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striving

2 of 2

verb

present participle of strive

as in struggling

to devote serious and sustained effort not only must we strive for peace in time of war, we must strive mightily to maintain that peace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in trying

to make an effort to do let us strive to make the most of this opportunity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 striving

Noun

That contradiction is harder to overlook in Lee’s latest tale of immigrant striving, American Hagwon. — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026 To conclude 39 days of human striving, the gate didn’t determine who the game belonged to. — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 20 July 2026 And the striving didn’t stay on the ballfield or in the ring. — Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 28 June 2026 Such foolhardy male striving, the movie suggests, is all too often destructive. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 These towers trace a geography of 21st-century striving, stretching from East Asia to the Gulf and North America. — Karina Acharya, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026 Their presence is an expression of human striving, not political provocation. — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026 And taken wholesale, both arguments could be enlisted to support more unhealthy striving, less peace on earth. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2026 Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City yesterday, taking over one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics with a promise to transform government on behalf of the city’s striving, struggling working class. — Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026

Verb

And those striving for zest under these circumstances may benefit from assistance from a mental health professional like a psychologist, a physical health provider like a physician, or a personal trainer or fitness instructor. — Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026 There was a phone booth across the street where striving actors would take calls from their agents, before cell phones. — Sam Kashner, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026 While Indiana and Hoover are striving for perfection as the program aims to defend its national title, TCU is just hoping to score more than two touchdowns against a Power Four opponent. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026 The Monitor revisits three young families striving to live full lives amid Russia’s military invasion. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 And day by day, play by play, Dunnigan is striving to improve. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026 These steps are consistent with any institution of excellence that is constantly striving for improvement. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 The next year, Varjao and her husband Miguel Salinas opened their own Sea Love franchise of Sea Love in Oak Park and are striving to provide that same calming feeling for the community that Varjao felt during that family outing. — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026 MILKist led the initial research and technical formulation, striving to make a sufficiently strong sheet from 100 percent barley straw without adding other fibers or binders. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for striving

Noun

Hernández said the group wanted to use the platform to bring further awareness to the struggles immigrants continue to face in this country with an audience that notably skews more American than Los Tigres is accustomed to.

— Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Hollywood executives at a panel featuring UTA, Gold House, Lionsgate and HYBE saw an opening for Asian talent and stories rooted in specific cultures, while conceding that getting projects funded is still a struggle.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggle

Verb

But while most young people are struggling to land their first opportunity, some have jumped the line by building their own small businesses and startups—and young founders are now ramping up hiring even as companies across industries slow theirs.

— Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
The film includes flashbacks to his time in the war and features a parallel story about his young carer struggling to make ends meet.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggling

Noun

These symptoms may reflect the brain’s attempts to integrate and learn from what happened.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
While traveling with then-President Ronald Reagan in 1981, White House press secretary James Brady was shot during an assassination attempt on the president.

— Chandelis Duster, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of attempt

Verb

Strange, yes, but definitely more memorable than an accountant in green eyeshade laboring over the books.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
And workers have now spent over 1 million hours laboring on an infrastructure project whose price tag has surpassed $900 million.

— Robert Tann, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of laboring

Verb

And as Ternus thumbs through the $1,999-and-up phone, attempting to drag a photo into a text-message box, eagle-eyed viewers notice his hands quivering.

— Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Featuring so many characters and elements from the games that non-aficionados are left desperately attempting to keep up, Street Fighter tries to thread the needle between fan service and welcoming the uninitiated.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of attempting

Noun

Five years of community investment Despite attracting hundreds of attendees, Uplift remains largely a grassroots undertaking.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
The undertaking will also test the ability of the sprawling House Democrats to work together and avoid the chaotic divisions and disruptions that have hobbled Republicans under Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of undertaking

Verb

Walsh will contribute across collection development, campaign concepts, styling, brand imagery and creative storytelling, working alongside the Rebecca Taylor team.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Phillips is working from a script by Jordan & Justin Shipley, creators of the TBS comedy Wrecked, with a rewrite by Phillips & frequent collaborator Gene Stupnitsky, who’s producing through his Big Name Entertainment banner.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of working

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Style

“Striving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/striving. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of striving

noun

verb

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