make an effort

verb

To try; to work towards a goal.

Similar
take pains
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Meanings

verbmake an effort (third-person singular simple present makes an effort, present participle making an effort, simple past and past participle made an effort)

present singular third person makes an effort · participle present making an effort · participle past made an effort · past made an effort

  1. To try; to work towards a goal.

    Synonyms: take pains

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo try; to work towards a goal.

Similar
take pains
Also see
take painstrouble

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 力求, 努力
  • 力求 (lìqiú)to try; to work towards a goal
  • 努力 (nǔlì)to try; to work towards a goal
  • 竭力 (jiélì)to try; to work towards a goal
Esperanto peni, klopodi
  • penito try; to work towards a goal
  • klopodito try; to work towards a goal
Finnish ponnistella, skarpata
  • ponnistellato try; to work towards a goal
  • skarpatato try; to work towards a goal
French faire un effort
  • faire un effortto try; to work towards a goal
German sich anstrengen
  • sich anstrengento try; to work towards a goal
Hebrew הִתְאַמֵּץ, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל
  • הִתְאַמֵּץ (hit'amétz)to try; to work towards a goal
  • הִשְׁתַּדֵּל (hishtadél)to try; to work towards a goal
Italian fare uno sforzo, sforzarsi
  • fare uno sforzoto try; to work towards a goal
  • sforzarsito try; to work towards a goal
Japanese 努力する
  • 努力する (doryoku suru)to try; to work towards a goal
Latin nītor
  • nītorto try; to work towards a goal
Norwegian Bokmål anstrenge seg, ta i
  • anstrenge segto try; to work towards a goal
  • ta ito try; to work towards a goal
  • gjøre sitt besteto try; to work towards a goal
  • stå påto try; to work towards a goal
Polish starać się, postarać się
  • starać sięto try; to work towards a goal
  • postarać sięto try; to work towards a goal
Russian пыта́ться, попыта́ться
  • пыта́ться (pytátʹsja)to try; to work towards a goal
  • попыта́ться (popytátʹsja)to try; to work towards a goal
  • стара́ться (starátʹsja)to try; to work towards a goal
  • постара́ться (postarátʹsja)to try; to work towards a goal
  • де́лать уси́лие (délatʹ usílije)to try; to work towards a goal
  • сде́лать уси́лие (sdélatʹ usílije)to try; to work towards a goal
  • прилага́ть уси́лие (prilagátʹ usílije)to try; to work towards a goal
  • приложи́ть уси́лие (priložítʹ usílije)to try; to work towards a goal
Cite this entry
APA

make an effort. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20an%20effort

MLA

“make an effort.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20an%20effort. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “make an effort,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20an%20effort.

Source: make an effort on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.