Strived or Strove: Which Past Tense of “Strive” Is Correct?

🕓 Last updated on October 9, 2026

You are writing a sentence. You want to say someone tried very hard in the past. Then you stop. Is it “she strived” or “she strove”? Both look odd. Both look right. You are not alone.

Thousands of people search “strived or strove” every month. The verb strive is tricky. Most verbs just add -ed. Strive used to follow an older pattern, like drive and drive. Over time, many people began adding -ed anyway. Now two forms live side by side.

This causes real worry. The will a teacher mark it wrong? Will a boss notice? Will readers in London or New York think you made a mistake?

Here is the good news. Both forms are correct. But one may suit your reader better.

This guide gives you a quick answer first. Then it explains where the word came from and how British and American writers use it. You will see common mistakes, real examples, and answers to common questions.

Read on. In a few minutes, you will know exactly which word to use.

Strived or Strove   Quick Answer

Both are correct. They are two past tense forms of the verb strive, which means to try very hard.

• Strove is the older, traditional form. It is a little more formal.
• Strived is the newer, regular form. It is common in modern writing, especially in American English.

Examples:

• She strove to finish the race.
• She strived to finish the race.
• He strove for excellence all his life.
• He strived for excellence all his life.

Quick rule: If you want a formal or classic tone, use strove. If you want a simple, modern tone, strived works well. Pick one and stay with it in the same piece.

The Origin of Strived or Strove

The word strive came into English around the 1200s. It came from Old French estriver, which meant to quarrel or fight. That word is linked to estrif, which gave us the word strife.

At first, English borrowed the verb and made it fit an old pattern. Look at these verbs:

• drive, drove, driven
• ride, rode, ridden
• rise, rose, risen

Strive joined this group: strive, strove, striven. That is why strove sounds so natural to many people.

So why does strived exist? English speakers love simple rules. Over hundreds of years, many irregular verbs became regular. Helped used to be holp. Climbed used to be clomb. People did the same with strive and began saying strived.

That is why we have two spellings today. Old habits and new habits are both in use. Neither one is a typo.

British English vs American English Spelling

Many people think this is a US versus UK spelling issue. It is not that simple. Both countries accept both forms. The difference is in what people prefer.

In general, strove feels more natural in British writing. Strived shows up more often in American writing. But both appear on both sides of the Atlantic.

Feature	British English	American English
Past tense	strove (common), strived (accepted)	strived (common), strove (accepted)
Past participle	striven (preferred)	strived or striven
Tone of “strove”	Normal and formal	Formal or literary
Tone of “strived”	Sometimes seen as casual	Normal and everyday
Dictionary status	Both listed	Both listed

Examples:

• UK: “The team strove to improve the service.”
• US: “The team strived to improve the service.”
• UK: “She has striven for years.”
• US: “She has strived for years.”

Which Spelling Should You Use?

Think about who will read your writing.

For a US audience: Use strived if you want a modern, easy tone. Use strove if you want a more formal tone. Both are safe.

For a UK or Commonwealth audience: Choose strove for the past tense and striven for the past participle. This is the safest choice for countries like the UK, Australia, and India.

For a global audience: Choose strove. It is accepted everywhere and never looks wrong. Strive may bother a few strict readers.

For school, work, or formal papers: Check the style guide. If there is none, use strove and striven.

For blogs, emails, and social media: Strived is fine. It sounds natural and easy.

The best advice is simple. Pick one form and use it the same way every time.

Common Mistakes with Strived or Strove

1. Using “strived” and “strove” in the same text

• Wrong: “She strove to win, and he strived to learn.”
• Better: “She strove to win, and he strove to learn.”

2. Mixing up the past tense and the past participle

• Wrong: “He has strove for years.”
• Right: “He has striven for years.” or “He has strived for years.”

3. Writing “strived” when you need the present

• Wrong: “I strived every day to be better” (when you mean you still do this).
• Right: “I strive every day to be better.”

4. Spelling it “strieved” or “stroved”

• These are not words. Use strived or strove.

5. Using the wrong helper words

• Wrong: “She did strive to win.”
• Right: “She did strive to win.”

6. Forgetting “to” or “for”

• Wrong: “They strove for excellence.”
• Right: “They strove for excellence.” or “They strove to be excellent.”

Strived or Strove in Everyday Examples

In an email:

• “We strove to reply within one day, and we hope you are happy with the help.”
• “Our team strived to fix the problem quickly.”

In the news:

• “Leaders strove to reach a deal before the deadline.”
• “The company strived to cut costs this year.”

On social media:

• “I strived all year for this goal. Today it happened!”
• “Strove hard, rested hard. Proud of this week.”

In formal writing:

• “The authors strove to present a fair view.”
• “The committee has striven to meet every rule.”

In a cover letter:

• “I strove to lead my team with care and clear goals.”

Strived or Strove   Google Trends & Usage Data

Exact numbers change all the time. For live figures, open Google Trends and compare “strived” with “strove” in your country. Here is what usually shows up.

• Books and older texts: Strove appears far more often. It has been the main form for centuries.
• Modern web writing: Strived has grown. Many writers choose the regular -ed form without thinking about it.
• United States: Searches and writing show more use of strived than in other places. Strove still appears in formal and literary text.
• United Kingdom, Australia, and India: Strove tends to be the preferred form. Strived is seen, but less.
• Canada: Usage is mixed, like the US and UK together.
• Search behavior: People often search “strived or strove” because they feel unsure. This is common with verbs that have two forms.

Context matters too. Strove leads in novels, speeches, and history writing. Strived leads in casual blogs, social media, and business posts.

Variation	Type	Common use
strive	Present	“We strive to help.”
strives	Third person present	“She strives to win.”
striving	Present participle	“He is striving for more.”
strove	Past (traditional)	“They strove to finish.”
strived	Past (regular)	“They strived to finish.”
striven	Past participle (traditional)	“She has striven to learn.”
has/had strived	Past participle (regular)	“She has strived to learn.”

FAQs

1. Is “strived” a real word?
Yes. Major dictionaries list it as an accepted past tense of strive.

2. Is “strove” outdated?
No. It is the traditional form. Many writers still use it, and it sounds polished.

3. What is the past participle of striving?
The traditional form is striven. The regular form strived is also used.

4. Which one is more common in American English?
Strived is more common in the US than in the UK. Strove is still very much in use.

5. Which one is better for exams and school papers?
Strove and striven are the safest. Check your teacher’s or school’s style guide.

6. Can I use “strived” in formal writing?
Yes, but strove often sounds better in formal writing. Be consistent.

7. Is it “has strived” or “has striven”?
Both are correct. Strive is more traditional. It is more modern.

8. Does it change the meaning?
No. Both mean the same thing: tried very hard in the past.

Conclusion

So, which is it: strived or strove? The answer is easy. Both are correct.

Strove is the old, classic form. It follows the same pattern as driving and riding. It sounds formal, and it works in every English-speaking country. Strived is the newer, regular form. It is simple and modern, and it is more common in American English.

Here are the key points to remember:

• Use strove and striven for formal writing and global readers.
• Use strived for casual, modern writing, especially in the US.
• Never mix both forms in the same text.
• Use strive for the present, not the past.
• When unsure, choose strove. It is almost never wrong.

Words change over time. Two forms of one verb is not a mistake. It is just English growing. What matters most is that your writing is clear and steady.

Now you can write with confidence. If you strove or strived, the goal is the same: to be understood.