effort
noun
uk/ˈefət/ us [ C or U ]
a serious attempt to do something:
an effort to do sth This is part of an ongoing effort to develop the Asian debt market.
The guidelines require that companies make an effort to engender a culture of ethical compliance.
The new system has been introduced in an effort to improve customer care.
Ensuring the product is launched on time will be a team effort.
Over the past year, the combined efforts of the train companies has produced a 12% increase in passenger business and a 20% expansion of freight traffic.
[ U ]
physical or mental activity needed to achieve something, or energy used to do something:
A number of returns which were prepared manually are now produced by the computer, resulting in saving of staff time and effort.
take/require effort Taking the time to compare prices means that the purchase takes more effort, but it's usually worth it.