Cool MateDo your best vs Strive
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Do your best
Top 2,000 (common)
Strive
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
| Do your best | Strive | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //duː jɔːr bɛst//🇺🇸 //du jʊr bɛst// | 🇬🇧 /["/straɪv/","/straɪvz/","/strəʊv/","/straɪvd/","/ˈstrɪvn/","/ˈstraɪvɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/straɪv/","/straɪvz/","/strəʊv/","/straɪvd/","/ˈstrɪvn/","/ˈstraɪvɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Try your hardest | To work hard to achieve something. |
| Example | I know you have a lot of pressure, but just do your best. | We encourage all members to strive for the highest standards. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | do your best in, do your best for, do your best at | hard, mightily, desperately, after, against, for |
| Antonyms | - | relax, surrender, give up |
| Common mistakes | Using it in a sarcastic tone, which can confuse the listener, Saying it when someone is already trying hard, which can seem patronizing, Confusing with 'do your worst', which has a negative meaning | 'Strive' is often confused with 'strive for'; remember it needs 'to' before a verb., Some learners use 'strived' as the past tense, but it's 'strove' or 'strived' depending on context., Mixing up 'strive' with 'thrive' due to similar sounds. |
| Usage notes | Use this phrase to encourage someone to put in effort. It's appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. | Use 'strive' in contexts where you want to emphasize effort towards a goal. It's appropriate in both formal and informal situations but may sound overly dramatic for casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Do your best vs Strive
What's the difference between Do your best and Strive?
Do your best: Try your hardest Strive: To work hard to achieve something.
Can you show an example of each?
Do your best: I know you have a lot of pressure, but just do your best. Strive: We encourage all members to strive for the highest standards.
Can I use Do your best and Strive interchangeably?
Not always. Do your best and Strive are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.