| Noun | 1. | striving - an effortful attempt to attain a goalattempt, effort, try, endeavor, endeavour - earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something; "made an effort to cover all the reading material"; "wished him luck in his endeavor"; "she gave it a good try" jehad, jihad - a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal | |