1. a strong effort or striving toward a goal; an impulse or inclination to act
Usage: formal; literary
2. in philosophy and psychology, an innate force or tendency driving behavior or development
Usage: technical; philosophy

Examples

• The athlete's nisus to win the championship drove her through months of rigorous training.
• His nisus toward self-improvement led him to pursue advanced education.
• The plant's nisus for growth was evident in its rapid development toward the sunlight.
• Despite obstacles, her nisus to succeed never wavered.
• The company's nisus to innovate resulted in several groundbreaking products.
• Philosophers debated whether nisus was a fundamental force in human nature.