effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'effort' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that requires physical, mental, or emotional exertion in order to achieve a goal. For example, "We put a lot of effort into making sure our project was successful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Obama was pointing to the bipartisan effort to get the program launched in Massachusetts to encourage his opponents to stop rooting for his law's failure.

The Guardian

In the unlikely event we have to replace a tutor, we shall make every effort to ensure the replacement tutor has similar expertise to the one advertised.

The Guardian

"I couldn't get my head around why someone would go to the effort of looking someone up, and then sending them a nasty tweet.

The Guardian - Tech

In Britain, the new chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said on Monday that he would push through £6 billion ($8.65 billion) in spending cuts in an effort to convince skittish markets that the new government led by David Cameron was committed to fiscal restraint.

The New York Times

This isn't because the big banks have been making a special effort to be customer-friendly.

The Economist

The Oman deal is part of a government effort to sell 100 aircraft to the Gulf region in 2013, sales which could be worth more than £6bn to UK firms, Downing Street said in a statement.

The Guardian

This might not be a problem if it were a drug for TB, malaria or AIDS – but critics of the HPV donation asked why cervical cancer received such a comprehensive effort in Rwanda – reaching 95% for 11-year-old girls when disease incidence lags well behind other vaccine-preventable diseases in the developing world (read the Rwandan health minister's persuasive rebuttal).

The Guardian

Since the two sides sat down to negotiate an end to Colombia's 50-year-old internal conflict, the negotiators have achieved more progress than any previous effort to broker peace.

The Guardian

"So we are putting a huge effort in.

The Guardian

Juventus had several chances to seal the win, with an effort by Tevez being deflected just past the left upright before a great stop from Weidenfeller denied the Argentinian at point-blank range.

The Guardian - Sport

Yet for all of this effort, the polls have barely moved in months, a hung parliament looks inevitable and the manifestos have been written as coalition bargaining positions rather than binding promises.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the amount of effort, use adjectives like "significant", "considerable", or "minimal" to provide context and detail.

Common error

Avoid using "effort" as a verb. Instead of saying "We efforted to complete the task", use "We made an effort to complete the task" or "We exerted ourselves to complete the task".

Linguistic Context

The word "effort" primarily functions as a noun, denoting the physical or mental exertion used to achieve something. Ludwig examples show it describing actions taken towards a goal or the energy invested in a task.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sport

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "effort" is a very common noun used to describe the work involved in performing an activity or a specific endeavor. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in a wide range of contexts, primarily in news and media, but also in sports and business. To enhance your writing, remember to use adjectives to specify the magnitude of the "effort" and avoid using it as a direct verb. Consider alternatives like "exertion" or "endeavor" for variety, and always remember to use "make an effort" rather than "make effort".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exertion

Focuses specifically on the physical or mental energy expended.

endeavor

Implies a serious or determined attempt to accomplish something.

attempt

Suggests a trial or experiment with uncertain outcome.

struggle

Highlights the difficulty and challenges involved in achieving a goal.

labor

Emphasizes hard physical work or strenuous activity.

toil

Suggests prolonged and arduous work.

application

Focuses on the diligent and consistent use of skills or knowledge.

initiative

Emphasizes the act of taking the first step or being proactive.

venture

Implies a risky or uncertain undertaking.

exercise

Refers to the use or application of a skill, right, or quality.

FAQs

How to use "effort" in a sentence?

You can use "effort" to describe the work involved in an activity, as in "It took a lot of "effort" to finish the project". It can also refer to an endeavor, such as "Their "effort" to raise funds was successful".

What can I say instead of "effort"?

You can use alternatives like "exertion", "endeavor", "attempt", or "struggle" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "make effort" or "make an effort"?

The correct phrase is "make an effort". The indefinite article "an" is needed because "effort" is a singular countable noun.

What's the difference between "effort" and "attempt"?

"Effort" refers to the exertion of energy or force, while "attempt" refers to the act of trying to do something. An attempt may involve "effort", but it can also be a simple try without significant exertion.