# effort

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɛf.ət/ · frequency rank #1,268

## Definitions
1. The work involved in performing an activity; exertion.
2. An endeavor.
3. A force acting on a body in the direction of its motion.

## Etymology
From Middle French effort, from Old French esfort, deverbal of esforcier (“to force, exert”), from Vulgar Latin *exfortiō, from Latin ex + fortis (“strong”).
Compare typologically Bulgarian усилие (usilie), Czech úsilí, Polish wysiłek, Russian уси́лие (usílije) (< Proto-Slavic *sila).

## Easily confused with
- **export** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/effort-vs-export)
- **escort** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/effort-vs-escort)
- **extort** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/effort-vs-extort)
- **efforts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/effort-vs-efforts)
- **effect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/effect-vs-effort)

## Common misspellings (7)
`efforrt`, `effortt`, `effotr`, `effrot`, `efofrt`, `efort`, `fefort`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/effort