Endeavor Meaning
/ɪnˈdɛv.ə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA sincere attempt; a determined or assiduous effort towards a specific goal; assiduous or persistent activity.
verbTo exert oneself.
Sentence Examples
Dieting takes up so much human endeavor with so little to show for it.
I'm sure your endeavor will bear fruit.
He made an endeavor to improve the situation.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientific ____ to cure the disease required years of dedicated research.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Starting a new business is a very difficult but rewarding ____.
Word Origin & History
The verb is from Middle English endeveren (“to make an effort”); the noun is from Middle English endevour, from the verb. Endeveren is from (putten) in dever (“(to put oneself) in duty”), from in + dever (“duty”), partially translating Middle French (se mettre) en devoir (de faire) (“(to make it) one's duty (to do), to endeavour (to do)”) (from Old French devoir, deveir (“duty”)).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity."
— 1944 June 6, Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Prayer on D-Day”, in Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, archived from the original on 29 Jun 2016:
"He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair."
— 2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2012, page 162:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientific ____ to cure the disease required years of dedicated research.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Starting a new business is a very difficult but rewarding ____.