Also means
to make an effort
Usage Note
Esforzar is almost always used reflexively as esforzarse ('to strive', 'to make an effort'), followed by en or por plus an infinitive: se esfuerza por mejorar ('she strives to improve'). The non-reflexive form is rare. It is an o→ue stem-changing verb (me esfuerzo, te esfuerzas), so the stem vowel changes in stressed syllables.
Examples
"Debes esforzarte más en el trabajo."
Natural Translation
You should strive harder at work.

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