What does strove mean?
Strove is the simple past tense of “strive,” a verb meaning to make a determined and sustained effort toward an objective. It commonly describes working hard to achieve something, improve a skill, meet a standard, or overcome difficult circumstances. The word can also convey competition or contention, as when someone strove against a rival or an adverse situation. “Strove” has a formal, literary tone and often suggests sustained determination rather than a brief or casual attempt. It is the past tense of “strive”; the irregular past participle is “striven,” while the present participle is “striving.” The term is useful in contexts where the focus is on effort, ambition, or perseverance, and it gives a more elevated or accomplished quality to a sentence than the plainer alternatives “tried” or “attempted.”
verbStrove is the simple past tense of strive, meaning to make a determined effort to achieve something or to compete with another person.
- To make a determined effort to achieve an objective, overcome a difficulty, or reach a higher standard.
- To compete or contend with another person or force.
- To try earnestly to do or obtain something.
"The young musician strove to perfect her technique despite the demands of her schedule."
"The team strove to improve its communication throughout the final."
"For many years, she strove to reconcile her artistic ambitions with family responsibilities."
The word “strove” preserves the image of exerting oneself with force and determination, a meaning still present in “strive.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does strove come from?
The underlying verb “strive” comes from Old English strīfan, meaning to exert oneself, contend, or strive. Its modern sense developed from the idea of making an effort or struggling toward a goal. “Strove” is the regular simple past form of that verb, alongside the inherited irregular participle “striven.” The word is related in its history to other Germanic forms expressing effort or exertion, although modern cognates differ considerably in form and meaning.
Related word forms
How strove is actually used
Strove is formal or literary in style, although it is standard English. It can sound more emphatic than “tried” and more focused on sustained effort than “attempted.”
Easily confused with strove
Strive means to make a serious effort, whereas strobe refers to a device that emits brief, rapid flashes of light.
Strive is the base form of the verb, while strove is its simple past tense.