in an effort to meaning and examples

2025-09-26

Meaning

The phrase "in an effort to" means with the purpose of doing something; trying to achieve a goal. It shows that an action is taken with an intention or attempt to accomplish something.

Grammar and Usage

Structure: in an effort to + verb (base form)
Used to explain the purpose behind an action.
Common in both spoken and formal written English.

Examples of structures:

in an effort to improve...
in an effort to reduce...
in an effort to help...

Common Phrases

in an effort to improve
in an effort to reduce costs
in an effort to gain attention
in an effort to help others
in an effort to solve the problem

Collocations

Verb + in an effort to: acted, worked, moved
In an effort to + verb: improve, increase, reduce, avoid, gain

Examples

She studied late into the night in an effort to pass her exam.
The company cut jobs in an effort to reduce costs.
He apologized repeatedly in an effort to repair the relationship.
The government raised taxes in an effort to fund new programs.
She lowered her voice in an effort to calm the children.
They added more features in an effort to attract new customers.
He jogged every morning in an effort to lose weight.
The teacher simplified the instructions in an effort to help students understand.

in order to
so as to
with the aim of
with a view to
for the purpose of

Antonym

without trying to
unintentionally
accidentally