Collocations for effort - noun
1. physical/mental energy needed to do sth
ADJ.
considerable | hard
It took a whole day of hard effort to knock down the wall.
It took a whole day of hard effort to knock down the wall.
constant, sustained | extra | physical | intellectual, mental
QUANT.
amount
the amount of effort required
the amount of effort required
VERB + EFFORT
demand, need, require, take
It takes constant effort to become fluent in a language.
It takes constant effort to become fluent in a language.
devote, expend, put in
All the team members have put in a great deal of effort.
All the team members have put in a great deal of effort.
spare no
No effort has been spared to make this hotel a welcoming, comfortable place.
No effort has been spared to make this hotel a welcoming, comfortable place.
be (well) worth
The walk is difficult but well worth the effort.
The walk is difficult but well worth the effort.
EFFORT + VERB
go into
A lot of effort went into making the costumes.
A lot of effort went into making the costumes.
PREP.
with/without ~
This can be done quickly and with very little effort.
This can be done quickly and with very little effort.
PHRASES
a great deal of effort
2. attempt to do sth
ADJ.
all-out, big, brave, determined, enormous, great, herculean, heroic, huge, major, remarkable, special, strenuous, superhuman, tremendous, valiant
I can see you have made a big effort to clean up.
I can see you have made a big effort to clean up.
desperate, frantic
their frantic efforts to put out the fire
their frantic efforts to put out the fire
final, last, last-ditch
The UN General Secretary flew in in a last-ditch effort to save the talks.
The UN General Secretary flew in in a last-ditch effort to save the talks.
genuine, positive, real, serious | feeble
She made a feeble effort to smile, then started crying again.
She made a feeble effort to smile, then started crying again.
sporadic
I make sporadic efforts to sort out my files.
I make sporadic efforts to sort out my files.
successful | fruitless, futile, unsuccessful | collaborative, collective, concerted, cooperative, joint, team
Students, teachers and families got together in a team effort to decorate the school.
Students, teachers and families got together in a team effort to decorate the school.
conscious, deliberate
I have to make a conscious effort to be polite so early in the morning.
I have to make a conscious effort to be polite so early in the morning.
voluntary
The museum relies on the voluntary efforts of enthusiasts.
The museum relies on the voluntary efforts of enthusiasts.
fund-raising
VERB + EFFORT
make | increase, intensify, redouble, renew, step up
The police have renewed their efforts to find the murderer.
The police have renewed their efforts to find the murderer.
channel, concentrate, focus
The police channelled their efforts into searching around the river.
The police channelled their efforts into searching around the river.
fail in
He failed in h
He failed in h
resist
The wound resisted all my efforts to stop it bleeding.
The wound resisted all my efforts to stop it bleeding.
abandon | be rewarded for, reward
Her efforts were rewarded when she won an Oscar.
Her efforts were rewarded when she won an Oscar.
applaud
The gallery owner applauded the efforts of firefighters to save the exhibits.
The gallery owner applauded the efforts of firefighters to save the exhibits.
EFFORT + VERB
come to nothing, fail
PREP.
in an/your ~
The club has changed the rules in an effort to make them fairer.
The club has changed the rules in an effort to make them fairer.
through sb''s ~
Through their efforts, enough money was raised to buy the equipment.
Through their efforts, enough money was raised to buy the equipment.
PHRASES
your best efforts
Despite our best efforts, we didn''t manage to win the match.
Despite our best efforts, we didn''t manage to win the match.
a reward for your efforts
Second prize was a fair reward for his efforts.
Second prize was a fair reward for his efforts.
make every effort
We are making every effort to obtain the release of the hostages.
We are making every effort to obtain the release of the hostages.