Usage Note
Efforcer is always used reflexively as s'efforcer de + infinitive — never without the pronoun. Je m'efforce de comprendre means 'I am trying hard to understand'. It implies sustained effort rather than a single attempt, making it stronger than essayer. The related noun effort is far more frequent in everyday speech.
Examples
"Il s'efforce de rester calme."
Natural Translation
He strives to stay calm.

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