What does strived mean?
Strived is the past tense and past participle of strive, a verb meaning to make determined efforts toward a goal or in the face of difficulty. It commonly describes someone attempting to succeed, improve a situation, meet a standard, or overcome an obstacle. “The team strived for a draw” and “she strived to control her nerves” are natural examples. Compared with the broader word tried, strived often conveys a sense of serious, sustained effort, but it can also be used relatively neutrally. The word does not imply that the effort succeeded: a person may have strived to win and still lost. In modern English, strived is the usual past form, although the more literary strove is also recognized. Strived remains versatile in everyday speech, journalism, literature, and formal writing.
verbThe past tense and past participle of strive: to make determined efforts to achieve something or overcome a difficulty.
- Made determined efforts to achieve an objective, reach a goal, or overcome difficulty.
"The team strived to improve the service despite limited resources."
"She strived to remain calm during the difficult interview."
"The young musician strived for years to perfect her technique."
English gives this verb two past forms: strived for everyday clarity and strove for a more dramatic, literary tone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of strived
Strive comes from Middle English striven, borrowed from Old French estriver and ultimately from Latin stringere, meaning “to draw tight” or “stretch.” The same Latin root underlies strict, stringent, and constrict. Its English meaning developed from exerting oneself or contending toward making sustained efforts toward an end.
Related word forms
How strived is actually used
Strived is neutral in tone and common in both formal and informal contexts. It can suggest sustained or earnest effort, although it does not by itself imply success.
Easily confused with strived
Both are past forms of strive, but strived is the standard modern form, while strove is chiefly literary or archaic.