struggled; struggling
ˈstrə-g(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to make strenuous or violent efforts in the face of difficulties or opposition
struggling with the problem
2
: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort
struggled through the high grass
struggling to make a living
2
: a violent effort or exertion : an act of strongly motivated striving
a struggle to make ends meet
3
: tussle sense 1
during the struggle the gun went off
Synonyms
Examples of struggle in a Sentence
Verb
He has been struggling with the problem of how to keep good workers from leaving.
They struggled for the right to vote.
She struggled up the hill through the snow.
She struggled to lift the package by herself, but it was too heavy.
He struggled to get free of the wreckage.
He's been struggling in math class for most of the year.
The team has continued to struggle in recent weeks.
He was living as a struggling artist in the city.
Noun
the struggle for civil rights
There was a struggle for the gun.
There was no sign of a struggle.
It was a struggle getting out of bed this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024
But Humane also struggles to balance the scale of its ambitions, which means some narrative threads get left behind and others are only hastily engaged with.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Apr. 2024
Broadcast companies have struggled in recent years, with their share of music listening plunging from 24% in the fourth quarter of 2016 to 13% late last year, according to MusicWatch, a market research company focusing on entertainment.
—Steve Knopper, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024
Leonard struggled to find a groove in Game 2, going seven for 17 from the field and missing all five of his three-pointers.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Some cities are struggling with less activity and foot traffic in their downtowns now, due to hybrid work and other factors in post-pandemic life.
—NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
This film highlights struggle, loss, family, and love, one of the most iconic films of Lee’s career.
—Ashley McDonough, Essence, 25 Apr. 2024
The language model space is getting increasingly crowded, and its players struggle to set themselves apart.
—Jeroen Van Hautte, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
Companies were struggling to hire enough workers to keep up with customer orders.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
Britain has seen its fair share of struggles attracting inter-Europe talent following Brexit.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 24 Apr. 2024
What are some ways that the community can kind of even out the things that get to the forefront in the struggle?
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024
More:Ukraine, Israel aid package heads to Biden as Congress caps months-long struggle
The foreign aid package approved Tuesday passed with a bipartisan 79-18 vote.
—Rachel Barber, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
That’s a sharp increase and a sign of Tesla’s struggles with cooling demand.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024
In the 30 years since the election that brought Mandela’s African National Congress party to power, jazz artists have found a very different kind of struggle.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Is Musk controversy responsible for Tesla’s struggles?
—Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 23 Apr. 2024
Popular on Variety Keyser said the long struggle of last year was the end result of a long period of getting the union to be more aggressive in contract negotiations.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
Verb
Philadelphia Pick: Cornerback Philly’s aging secondary struggled mightily last season, especially down the stretch.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024
But Humane also struggles to balance the scale of its ambitions, which means some narrative threads get left behind and others are only hastily engaged with.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Apr. 2024
Broadcast companies have struggled in recent years, with their share of music listening plunging from 24% in the fourth quarter of 2016 to 13% late last year, according to MusicWatch, a market research company focusing on entertainment.
—Steve Knopper, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024
Leonard struggled to find a groove in Game 2, going seven for 17 from the field and missing all five of his three-pointers.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Some cities are struggling with less activity and foot traffic in their downtowns now, due to hybrid work and other factors in post-pandemic life.
—NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
This film highlights struggle, loss, family, and love, one of the most iconic films of Lee’s career.
—Ashley McDonough, Essence, 25 Apr. 2024
The language model space is getting increasingly crowded, and its players struggle to set themselves apart.
—Jeroen Van Hautte, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
Companies were struggling to hire enough workers to keep up with customer orders.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Noun
The choreography translates this interior struggle into athletic grace.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
Britain has seen its fair share of struggles attracting inter-Europe talent following Brexit.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 24 Apr. 2024
What are some ways that the community can kind of even out the things that get to the forefront in the struggle?
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024
More:Ukraine, Israel aid package heads to Biden as Congress caps months-long struggle
The foreign aid package approved Tuesday passed with a bipartisan 79-18 vote.
—Rachel Barber, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
That’s a sharp increase and a sign of Tesla’s struggles with cooling demand.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024
In the 30 years since the election that brought Mandela’s African National Congress party to power, jazz artists have found a very different kind of struggle.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Is Musk controversy responsible for Tesla’s struggles?
—Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 23 Apr. 2024
Popular on Variety Keyser said the long struggle of last year was the end result of a long period of getting the union to be more aggressive in contract negotiations.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'struggle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near struggle
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/struggle. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
struggle
2 of 2 noun1
: fight entry 2 sense 1a, contest
a power struggle
2
: a violent or strenuous effort or exertion
a struggle to make ends meet
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