Synonyms of struggle

struggle 1 of 2

verb

ˈstrə-gəl 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stumble
• trudge
• limp
• blunder
• flounder
• shuffle
• jog
• fumble
• plod
• falter
• lurch
• sway
• lumber
• flog
• reel
• bumble
• wallow
• stagger
• shamble
• muddle
• totter
• welter
• teeter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coast
• fly
• sail
• glide
• zoom
• zip
• kilt

2

as in to strive

to devote serious and sustained effort

the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strive
• labor
• work
• endeavor
• try
• toil
• slave
• tug
• sweat
• hustle
• plow
• dig (away)
• strain
• travail
• plod
• bang away
• hump
• slog
• plug
• beaver (away)
• drudge
• apply (oneself)
• peg (away)
• grub
• sweat blood
• moil
• attack
• fag
• buckle (down)
• exercise
• exert
• essay
• drive
• eke out
• pitch in
• dig in
• scratch
• hammer (away)
• grind (out)
• wade
• overwork
• knuckle down
• trudge
• put out
• overexert
• scrabble

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• break
• ease (up)
• slacken
• let up
• hang (around or out)
• shirk
• rest
• lounge
• bum
• goof (off)
• relax
• chill
• slack (off)
• idle
• unwind
• hack (around)
• play
• loaf
• laze
• hang
• bask
• repose
• veg out
• dabble
• fool around
• loll
• dillydally
• footle
• trifle
• goof (around)
• mess around
• hang about
• dally
• goldbrick
• doodle
• monkey (around)
• putter (around)
• potter (around)
• fribble

struggle

2 of 2

noun

1

as in fight

a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective

a performer's long struggle to achieve success

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fight
• battle
• effort
• fray
• throes
• attempt
• scrabble
• work
• try
• pains
• grind
• endeavor
• trouble
• toil
• exertion
• war
• drudgery
• strife
• labor
• conflict
• warfare
• combat
• tussle
• travail
• contest
• sweat
• essay

2

as in battle

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

there was a struggle between the armed robber and the shopkeeper, and the gun went off

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fight
• battle
• clash
• skirmish
• tussle
• conflict
• scuffle
• fray
• contest
• combat
• brawl
• confrontation
• scrimmage
• duel
• dustup
• altercation
• fracas
• scrap
• hassle
• scrum
• pitched battle
• quarrel
• dispute
• battle royal
• blows
• rough-and-tumble
• spat
• tangle
• melee
• squabble
• wrangle
• mix-up
• fistfight
• controversy
• row
• grapple
• slugfest
• broil
• affray
• ruckus
• fisticuffs
• joust
• misunderstanding
• face-off
• free-for-all
• donnybrook
• falling-out
• punch-up
• punch-out
• disagreement
• cross fire
• argument
• ruction
• tiff
• catfight
• kickup
• contretemps
• handgrips
• argle-bargle
• argy-bargy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truce

3

as in rivalry

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• battle
• rivalry
• competition
• conflict
• duel
• confrontation
• warfare
• war
• contention
• match
• strife
• contest
• combat
• clash
• tug-of-war
• ball game
• showdown
• grapple
• dogfight
• sweepstakes
• face-off
• debate
• dispute
• friction
• horse race
• disputation
• quarrel
• collision
• argument
• controversy
• discord
• disagreement
• nail-biter
• wrangle
• dissension
• row

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• peace
• harmony
• concord

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of struggle

Verb

El Sayed has struggled to win over black voters in his race against his opponent Mike Rogers (R-MI). — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026

The show, which launched in 2013 and ran for four seasons, stars Fielder, using his (real) business degree to help (also real) struggling small businesses. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Noun

The ad, which circulated on social media late Monday, shows Acton's long-estranged mother, Donna Arthur, saying that her daughter has lied about her past and her struggles growing up. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Warfield, for her part, is passionate about the resulting blend, which mixes life-or-death struggles with minor squabbles and humanizes the insular world of the upper crust. — Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026