endeavour

endeavour — verb

IPA/enˈdev.ər/
KK[ɪndˈɛvɚ]IPA/enˈdev.ɚ/
  • endeavourpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • endeavours3rd person singular
  • endeavouring-ing form
  • endeavouredpast simple

1. to make a serious and determined effort to do something that requires hard work,

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to make a serious and determined effort to do something that requires hard work, courage, or persistence.

Example

The engineering team endeavoured to complete the bridge before the rainy season arrived.

endeavour + to-infinitive for formal effort

Christopher endeavoured to learn Japanese by watching films and speaking with native speakers every week.

Common collocations
  • endeavour to + infinitive
  • endeavour to ensure
  • endeavour to maintain
  • endeavour to provide
Synonyms
  • try

    less formal and much more common in everyday speech; 'endeavour' sounds more determined and literary

  • attempt

    also formal, but slightly more neutral; 'attempt' can suggest a single effort whereas 'endeavour' often implies sustained effort

  • strive

    overlaps closely but tends to emphasise great effort against difficulty; 'strive' is often used with 'towards'

  • seek

    more indirect — 'seek to do something' means to try to achieve it, but with a sense of aiming rather than labouring

Antonyms
  • neglect

    failing to make an effort that could reasonably be expected

  • give up

    stopping the effort rather than persisting

Grammar Patterns

endeavour + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Used mainly in formal or written English. In everyday conversation, 'try' or 'attempt' are far more common. Frequently takes a to-infinitive complement; the simple structure 'endeavour + noun' (without 'to') is not grammatical.

Common Mistakes

The team endeavoured finishing the project early.
The team endeavoured to finish the project early.
'endeavour' must be followed by a to-infinitive, not a gerund.
I will endeavour you to attend the meeting.
I will endeavour to attend the meeting.
'endeavour' does not take a direct object; you endeavour TO DO something, not endeavour someone.

endeavour — noun

IPA/ɪnˈdevə(r)/
KK[ɪndˈɛvɚ]IPA/ɪnˈdevər/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four verbs form a spectrum from everyday to formal. 'Try' is the default, neutral word for any effort, whether small ('try the door') or large ('try to fix the economy'). 'Attempt' is slightly more formal and often suggests a specific, countable effort ('attempt a rescue'), but can imply a single try rather than ongoing work. 'Endeavour' is distinctly formal and literary, carrying a sense of sustained, serious effort toward a worthy goal — it would sound unnatural in casual speech. 'Strive' overlaps closely with 'endeavour' but emphasises struggle against difficulty ('strive for peace'). 'Seek to do something' is more indirect, focusing on the aim rather than the labour invested. In formal writing, 'endeavour' is the strongest choice for conveying determination: 'the organisation endeavours to eliminate poverty' feels weightier than 'tries to eliminate poverty' and more purposeful than 'attempts to eliminate poverty'.

try ↗attempt ↗strive ↗seek ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • make every endeavour
  • in an endeavour to
  • best endeavours
  • human endeavour

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'endeavour' comes from the 14th-century phrase 'put in dever', meaning 'to make it one's duty'. It was formed from the Old French noun 'devoir' (duty, something owed), which itself came from Latin 'dēbēre' (to owe). The modern spelling was influenced by the verb 'endear'. The noun sense of 'a serious attempt' developed naturally from the verb in the 15th century.