striving to excel

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "striving to excel" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a desire or effort to achieve a high standard or to perform exceptionally well in a particular area. Example: "In our company, we are always striving to excel in customer service to ensure client satisfaction."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Girls in Tech also matches mentors or business coaches with mentees, one of the most valuable resources for a girl interested in jumping into the STEM fields, a woman striving to excel as a leader within the high-tech industry or an entrepreneur launching a startup.

Huffington Post

Competency as a motivating force is consistent with Putnam and Campbell's view that that a physician's desire for competence is manifest in (1) striving to excel and be the "best" in the field, (2) willingness to change and innovate in clinical practice, and (3) willingness to respond to clinical problems[ 18].

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

She strove to excel.

The New York Times

Born a year apart, Mr Coe and Mr Ovett strove to excel over the same distances the 800 metres, 1,500 metres and imperial mile.

The Economist

The Soviets and their client states strove to excel in boxing, as they did in gymnastics or swimming, exploiting enthusiasm for physical culture to propagandize the virtues of Homo Sovieticus.

The New York Times - Magazine

On most days, rival honor guards march and drill on adjoining parade grounds; on Pakistan's side, grandstands have been erected so that spectators can enjoy the show, which has grown into a kind of martial battle of the bands, in which each side strives to excel in the performance categories of goose-stepping and glaring.

The New Yorker

Along with the hot-button issue of sports and race, and the ambiguous relationship between players and spectators, Mr. Pfeiffer has addressed the genetic freakishness increasingly required of those who strive to excel at the highest levels in football or basketball.

The New York Times - Arts

Whichever approach you take, you should strive to excel in a specific area, Müller says.

Science Magazine

We all play many roles in our lives: parent, spouse, child, friend, employee, etc., and we all strive to excel in each of these roles.

Huffington Post

The explanation may be that the interaction, inspiration and very immediate competition with others provided a constant reminder and feedback, spurring the poster artists on and, thus, they strived to excel.

Huffington Post

The Institute states on its website that it strives to "excel as a provider of social services by focussing attention on the claimant" (http://www.uwv.nl, accessed 18 June 2010).

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "striving to excel" to convey a sense of continuous effort and ambition towards achieving a high standard. It's particularly effective when describing personal or organizational goals.

Common error

While "striving to excel" is appropriate in many situations, avoid using it excessively in overly formal contexts where simpler alternatives like "aiming to improve" might sound more natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "striving to excel" functions as an infinitive verb phrase, typically used as part of a larger clause to express purpose or intention. It is a verbal construction where "striving" is a gerund and "to excel" is an infinitive phrase, expressing the aim to achieve excellence. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "striving to excel" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that expresses a continuous effort to achieve a high standard. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is perfectly appropriate and well supported by real-world examples. It is versatile, fitting various contexts, from news and media to scientific discussions, and conveys a sense of ambition and dedication. While generally neutral to formal, it's crucial to consider the specific context to avoid overuse in overly formal scenarios. Alternatives like "aiming for excellence" or "endeavoring to excel" can provide a nuanced approach to expressing the same core idea.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

endeavoring to excel

Emphasizes a dedicated and earnest effort towards achieving excellence.

aiming for excellence

Focuses on the goal of reaching a high standard of quality and performance.

pursuing distinction

Highlights the act of seeking recognition and standing out through exceptional achievements.

seeking to surpass

Implies an attempt to go beyond existing limits or standards.

working towards mastery

Suggests a process of gradually gaining comprehensive knowledge or skill.

aspiring to greatness

Conveys a strong desire and ambition to achieve remarkable success.

seeking to achieve greatness

Highlights the desire to accomplish remarkable success and recognition.

striving for perfection

Emphasizes the pursuit of an ideal state, even if unattainable.

competing to win

Focuses on the competitive aspect of striving, with an emphasis on achieving victory.

pushing for peak performance

Highlights the effort to reach the highest possible level of performance.

FAQs

How can I use "striving to excel" in a sentence?

"Striving to excel" is often used to describe a continuous effort to achieve a high standard. For example, "Our company is always "striving to excel" in customer service."

What are some alternatives to "striving to excel"?

Alternatives include "aiming for excellence", "endeavoring to excel", or "seeking to surpass", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "strive to excel" or "striving to excel"?

Both are grammatically correct. "Strive to excel" is often used as an imperative or in a general statement of purpose, while "striving to excel" describes a continuous action or state.

What does "striving to excel" mean?

The phrase "striving to excel" means making a continuous and determined effort to achieve a high level of performance or quality in a particular area.