Use of physical or mental energy; hard work:
— They managed only with great exertion.

synonyms: effort, elbow grease, sweat, travail.

Roget 171: energy, physical energy, force, power etc. 157; keenness etc. adj.; intensity, vigor, strength, elasticity; go; high pressure; fire; rush.    acrimony, acritude^†; causiticity^†, virulence; poignancy; harshness etc. adj.; severity, edge, point; pungency etc. 392.    cantharides; seasoning etc. (condiment) 393.    activity, agitation, effervescence; ferment, fermentation; ebullition, splutter, perturbation, stir, bustle; voluntary energy etc. 682; quicksilver.    resolution etc. (mental energy) 604; exertion etc. (effort) 686; excitation etc. (mental) 824.    ... show more

Roget 682: activity; briskness, liveliness etc. adj.; animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy; snap, vim.    nimbleness, agility; smartness, quickness etc. adj.; velocity, etc. 274; alacrity, promptitude; despatch, dispatch; expedition; haste etc. 684; punctuality etc. (early) 132.    eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium [Lat.], empressement [Fr.], earnestness, intentness; abandon; vigor etc. (physical energy) 171; devotion etc. (resolution) 604; exertion etc. 686.    industry, assiduity; assiduousness etc. adj.; sedulity; laboriousness; drudgery etc. (labor) 686; painstaking, diligence; perseverance etc. 604.1; indefatigation^†; habits of business.    vigilance etc. 459; wakefulness; sleeplessness, restlessness; insomnia; pervigilium^†, insomnium^†; racketing.    movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness; flurry etc. (haste) 684.    officiousness; dabbling, meddling; interference, interposition, intermeddling; tampering with, intrigue.    press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action.    housewife, busy bee; new brooms; sharp fellow, sharp blade; devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank^†; hummer, hustler, live man [U.S.], rustler [U.S.].    ... show more

Roget 686: exertion, effort, strain, tug, pull, stress, throw, stretch, struggle, spell, spurt, spirt^†; stroke of work, stitch of work.    a strong pull a long pull and a pull all a strong pull a long pull and a pull all together;" dead lift; heft; gymnastics; exercise, exercitation^†; wear and tear; ado; toil and trouble; uphill work, hard work, warm work; harvest time.    labor, work, toil, travail, manual labor, sweat of one's brow, swink^†, drudgery, slavery, fagging^†, hammering; limae labor [Lat.]; industry, industriousness, operoseness^†, operosity^†.    trouble, pains, duty; resolution etc. 604; energy etc. (physical) 171.    ... show more

Dutch: krachtsinspanning, inspanning
Polish: próba, usiłowanie