effort

/ˈefət/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈefərt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈe-fərt -ˌfȯrt/ (ame, mw)

effort — noun

  • effortsingular
  • effortsplural

1. the use of your physical or mental strength to do something that takes energy or

1.名詞A2
釋義

the use of your physical or mental strength to do something that takes energy or determination

例句

Selim put a lot of effort into preparing for the marathon.

put effort into + noun/gerund

The whole team's effort finally paid off when they won the final match.

同義詞
  • energy

    focuses on the power you use physically or mentally; effort adds the idea of trying hard

  • exertion

    more formal and usually physical; effort is broader and more common

  • hard work

    emphasises the difficulty rather than the energy spent; interchangeable in many contexts

反義詞
  • ease

    the opposite of requiring effort — something done without difficulty

  • leisure

    free time where no effort is expected

文法句型

put effort into + noun/gerund

make an effort to + infinitive

(subject's) best efforts

用法筆記

This sense is usually uncountable. You put effort into a task, or you make an effort to achieve a goal. The phrase 'despite someone's best efforts' is common in formal and narrative writing.

常見錯誤

❌I did a big effort to finish the project.
✅I put a lot of effort into finishing the project.
💡In English, effort collocates with 'put into' or 'make', not 'do'.

2. something that someone produces by trying, especially when the result is not ver

2.名詞B2
釋義

something that someone produces by trying, especially when the result is not very good or is still at an early stage

例句

Reuben's early efforts at painting looked more like scribbles than art.

early efforts at + noun/gerund

The school play was a fairly amateur effort, but the children loved performing it.

同義詞
  • attempt

    focuses on the act of trying rather than the result; effort in this sense emphasises what was actually produced

  • output

    mostly used for measurable or professional results; less personal than effort

  • product

    more neutral and commercial; effort carries the connotation of the work put in

文法句型

(possessive) + (adjective) + effort

first/early/literary effort

用法筆記

This countable sense is often accompanied by adjectives like first, early, amateur, or poor to indicate the quality or stage of the product. It is frequently used to describe creative or artistic work.

3. something that is mentally or physically hard to do and makes you feel tired, bo

3.名詞B1
釋義

something that is mentally or physically hard to do and makes you feel tired, bored, or frustrated

例句

Getting up at five every morning is a real effort for Eleni.

be a(n) (real) effort

Kemi found it an effort to stay awake during the long safety training.

find it an effort to + infinitive

同義詞
  • struggle

    stronger, implying constant difficulty; effort is milder and about the task being tiring

  • chore

    a boring, routine task; effort is broader and can include mental difficulty

文法句型

be an effort

worth the effort

find it an effort to + infinitive

用法筆記

This sense almost always appears with the indefinite article an ('be an effort'). The dummy subject 'it' is common ('it is an effort to…'). The fixed phrase 'worth the effort' evaluates whether a difficult task was worthwhile.

常見錯誤

❌It is effort to get up early.
✅It is an effort to get up early.
💡In this sense, the indefinite article is required.
❌The effort is worth it.' (when talking about difficulty)
✅It is worth the effort.
💡'Worth the effort' is the standard fixed phrase for evaluating difficulty against reward.

4. an organized activity where many people cooperate to reach a common aim, for exa

4.名詞B2
釋義

an organized activity where many people cooperate to reach a common aim, for example raising money, providing aid, or winning an election

例句

The international relief effort brought food and medicine to thousands of families.

relief effort / aid effort

Defne volunteered as part of the community effort to clean up the local park.

community effort + to + infinitive

同義詞
  • campaign

    more specific to political, marketing, or military contexts; effort is broader and can describe any collective project

  • drive

    often used for fundraising or collection activities; effort can mean any organized activity

  • initiative

    suggests a new, forward-looking start; effort implies ongoing activity toward a goal

文法句型

(goal noun) + effort

effort + to + infinitive

join/lead/organize an effort

用法筆記

This sense is common in news and formal writing. The specific goal is usually indicated by a preceding noun: relief effort, fundraising effort, election effort, marketing effort. The verb collocates are often join, lead, organize, or coordinate.