The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Striving \Striv"ing\,
   a. & n. from Strive. -- Striv"ing*ly, adv.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Strive \Strive\, v. i. [imp. Strove; p. p. Striven(Rarely,
   Strove); p. pr. & vb. n. Striving.] [OF. estriver; of
   Teutonic origin, and akin to G. streben, D. streven, Dan.
   straebe, Sw. str[aum]fva. Cf. Strife.]
   1. To make efforts; to use exertions; to endeavor with
      earnestness; to labor hard.
      [1913 Webster]

            Was for this his ambition strove
            To equal Caesar first, and after, Jove? --Cowley.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To struggle in opposition; to be in contention or dispute;
      to contend; to contest; -- followed by against or with
      before the person or thing opposed; as, strive against
      temptation; strive for the truth. --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

            My Spirit shall not always strive with man. --Gen.
                                                  vi. 3.
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            Why dost thou strive against him?     --Job xxxiii.
                                                  13.
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            Now private pity strove with public hate,
            Reason with rage, and eloquence with fate. --Denham.
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   3. To vie; to compete; to be a rival. --Chaucer.
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            [Not] that sweet grove
            Of Daphne, by Orontes and the inspired
            Castalian spring, might with this paradise
            Of Eden strive.                       --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To contend; vie; struggle; endeavor; aim.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

striving
    n 1: an effortful attempt to attain a goal [syn: striving,
         nisus, pains, strain]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

80 Moby Thesaurus words for "striving":
   aim, ambition, animus, aspiration, battling, combat, competition,
   conflict, contending, contestant, contesting, counsel,
   desideration, desideratum, design, desire, determination,
   disputant, drudging, effect, effort, emulation, endeavor, essay,
   exertion, fight, fighting, fixed purpose, function, grinding,
   grubbing, hardworking, hassle, idea, intendment, intent, intention,
   labor, laboring, meaning, mind, motive, nisus, pegging, plan,
   plodding, plugging, point, project, proposal, prospectus, purpose,
   quarrelsome, resolution, resolve, rivalry, sake, slaving, slogging,
   strain, straining, strife, struggle, struggling, study, sweating,
   toil, toiling, travail, trial, try, tug-of-war, undertaking, view,
   warfare, warlike, warring, will, work, working