struggle

1 of 2

verb

strug·​gle ˈstrə-gəl 

struggled; struggling ˈstrə-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

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

struggler

ˈstrə-g(ə-)lər 

noun

struggle

2 of 2

noun

1

: contest, strife

armed struggle

a power struggle

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

Verb

• blunder
• bumble
• flog [British]
• flounder
• limp
• lumber
• plod
• stumble
• trudge

Noun

• battle
• fight
• fray
• scrabble
• throes

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

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English struglen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing struggle

• power struggle
• struggle for existence
• struggle on

Kids Definition

struggle

1 of 2 verb

strug·​gle ˈstrəg-əl 

struggled; struggling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to make a great effort to overcome someone or something : strive

struggling with the problem

2

: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort

struggled through the snow

struggler

-(ə-)lər 

noun

struggle

2 of 2 noun

1

: fight entry 2 sense 1a, contest

a power struggle

2

: a violent or strenuous effort or exertion

a struggle to make ends meet