Mistrives is spelled with a combination of silent letters that can cause confusion for English learners. The word is pronounced /mɪsˈtraɪvz/ (miss-TRYVZ), with the stress on the second syllable. The "s" and "t" in the middle of the word are silent, contributing to the unusual spelling. Mistrives is a verb that means to make an unsuccessful effort or attempt, indicating that even if the spelling may be tricky, with perseverance, mastery of the language is possible.