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
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
Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2025
The march was billed as a demonstration in support of free speech -- with much of the rhetoric by influencers and several far-right politicians from across Europe aimed largely at the perils of migration, a problem much of the continent is struggling to control.
—Brian Melley, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Before welcoming William, the couple endured a six-year-long road to parenthood that included health issues for each of them in addition to their fertility struggles.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
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Verb
Beijing has struggled to fully reignite the world’s number two economy since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the once-booming property sector mired in a debt crisis and exports facing mounting headwinds.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2025
The march was billed as a demonstration in support of free speech -- with much of the rhetoric by influencers and several far-right politicians from across Europe aimed largely at the perils of migration, a problem much of the continent is struggling to control.
—Brian Melley, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
Don't overreact to his midseason struggles due to a broken finger.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Before welcoming William, the couple endured a six-year-long road to parenthood that included health issues for each of them in addition to their fertility struggles.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/struggle. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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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