1
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
each week I would struggle through my piano lesson, keenly aware that I wasn't getting any better
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strive
to devote serious and sustained effort
the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
a performer's long struggle to achieve success
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2
as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
there was a struggle between the armed robber and the shopkeeper, and the gun went off
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3
as in battle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of struggle
Susan Tompor, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Both ended up struggling to hold their country together, let alone effect the changes that their activist supporters had hoped to see.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Yet that makes the Trump administration’s recent struggles in court even starker, says Gbemende Johnson, a political scientist at the University of Georgia.
—Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Verb
Increasingly, experts warn more consumers are experiencing financial fragility, struggling to manage their money and their debt.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Both ended up struggling to hold their country together, let alone effect the changes that their activist supporters had hoped to see.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
Noun
Comparing San Dieguito’s struggles with transparency to neighboring districts is striking.
—Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Yet that makes the Trump administration’s recent struggles in court even starker, says Gbemende Johnson, a political scientist at the University of Georgia.
—Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggle
Verb
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While sorting through storage in their Rhode Island studio to prep those reissues, Ivy stumbled upon a treasure trove of reel-to-reel tapes and old hard drives with unused material.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2025
-
On a remote island in northern Norway, metal detectorists stumbled upon a pair of bronze treasures.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Verb
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This leads them to strive to inspire others, creating a virtuous cycle that perpetually increases engagement, a sense of purpose, and more.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
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The album’s 11 tracks don’t strive to be confessional, just open.—
Janine Schaults,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
Noun
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This is not the first time a fight has broken out at a Disney park.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
3 June 2025
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Police responded to Catawba Valley Boulevard early in the morning on April 6, where shots had been fired into a crowd during a fight.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2025
Noun
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Trump tests legal strategies as judges block his policies As the clash becomes a defining moment in the president's second term, conservative activists are pushing Congress to rein in federal judges and pressing Trump to intensify his fight with the courts.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
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The clash between Villaraigosa’s environmentalist credentials and oil-industry ties surfaced in the governor’s race after Valero announced in late April that its Bay Area refinery would close next year, not long after Phillips 66 said its Wilmington refinery would close in 2025.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Recently, a German court quietly ended a landmark legal battle that had spanned nearly a decade.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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Fires and recovery Crews battle fire burning in Pala, evacuations underway in northern San Diego County.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Verb
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Halfway through his first term, Johnson is laboring diligently to shore up his support among Black voters.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
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Supreme Court justice calls it 'ridiculous' Trump cuts reach climate scientists who labored for free Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
Noun
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President Trump’s 2026 budget would freeze spending for many services for older adults, deeply cut others, continue his efforts to slash government staffing for key programs, and abolish a critical federal office that manages many of those initiatives.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Nuñez warned that more skirmishes could occur on Sunday as PSG will parade on the Champs-Élysées before celebrating the title with their fans at the Parc des Princes stadium.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
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Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of land disputes, though Thailand said after the short skirmish that the situation had been resolved.—
DAVID RISING,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggle. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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