What Does “Concerted Effort” Mean?
Concerted effort means “doing something in collaboration with others.” However, its use to describe a “determined, organized, and vigorous attempt” by an individual is increasingly common, though sometimes contested.
We’re going to be as straightforward as possible and state that:
- Concerted effort originally referred to a collaborative effort.
- But concerted effort is also commonly used when referring to an individual to mean “an organized and determined attempt.”
But is one right and the other wrong? That’s what this blog post aims to uncover. We promise we will make a concerted effort to be as clear and informative as possible.
Let’s get started!
We’ll teach you if “concerted effort” must be applied to a group of people or whether it can be used with an individual, too.
Understanding the Meaning of “Concerted Effort”
To understand what the phrase concerted effort means, we must first review the word concerted. The Oxford Dictionary provides two definitions for this adjective. We’ll start with the primary one, which is “jointly arranged, planned, or carried out.” In this sense, concerted refers to doing something together with at least one other person. As an adjective, concerted can modify any noun; it’s not strictly reserved for “effort.”
In the examples above, the word concerted helps indicate that a group effort was involved to achieve a particular goal. It may help to remember that the word concerted is derived from the word concert, which can refer to a “group of musicians performing together,” but also identifies other types of cooperative behavior.
Let’s move on to the second definition from the Oxford Dictionary, which is “strenuously carried out; done with great effort.” If you’re a strict grammarian, you might find this meaning rather peculiar. That’s because it is often stated that attributing a concerted effort to a single person is an incorrect use of the phrase. But is it?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, applying concerted effort to individuals who did something in a strategic, determined, and strenuous manner is grammatically correct.
Again, grammarians may be seething at reading this. But keep in mind that we’re simply stating the definitions provided by one of the most respected historical dictionaries available.
“Concerted Effort” Synonyms
If you want to avoid the risk of misusing this phrase, you can always opt for a synonym instead.
The following expressions can replace concerted effort when referring to a “group effort.”
Collaborative endeavor
Cooperative effort
Joint effort
Team effort
The options below can be used as synonyms for concerted effort when attributing it to an individual.
Diligent attempt
Determined effort
Rigorous pursuit
Strategic approach
Using “Concerted Effort” Correctly
When it comes to concerted effort, you should be aware that many people believe that using this phrase when referring to one person is blatantly incorrect. On the other hand, you may also occasionally find reputable publications that employ concerted effort to refer to a single person’s actions.
So, what are you supposed to do?
The truth is that it’s up to you! Now you know that the Oxford Dictionary includes both meanings; therefore, you can decide how to use the phrase.
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