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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Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of struggle
Tara Donaldson, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
The show struggles to illuminate the relationships between the characters or anything at all about Benton, from what his job actually is to even a flicker of a personality.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
David Goodhue
march 9, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
And to do so without compromising one’s values and intellectual or emotional capacities, Austen suggests, is—for single women and, in some cases, for single men—a real and persistent struggle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Verb
As conflict destabilizes parts of the Middle East, the ripple effects are already reaching the region’s luxury economy, which has become a promising growth engine for a struggling global sector.
—Tara Donaldson, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
The show struggles to illuminate the relationships between the characters or anything at all about Benton, from what his job actually is to even a flicker of a personality.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
After a short struggle, Delgado backed away from Broom, pulled his gun from his holster and ordered her to drop the knife, according to the report.
—David Goodhue
march 9, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
And to do so without compromising one’s values and intellectual or emotional capacities, Austen suggests, is—for single women and, in some cases, for single men—a real and persistent struggle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggle
Verb
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Spotting this superconducting dome is often a sign that researchers have stumbled onto the right ingredients for high-temperature superconductivity.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The man then tripped, stumbling to the ground.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In a world of jaded billionaires, psychiatrist-gurus, bio-hacked tech bros, AI labs and disillusioned teens being optimized in elite private schools, an audacious data-mining CEO (Magnussen) strives to turn insight and influence into profit and power.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
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And while striving for excellence is admirable, ballet’s obsession with excellence can make for a less-than-welcoming environment for those who just want to do it for fun.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Seizures, fights also reported on calls Most of the 911 calls were made by the camp’s contract medical staff.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Pinkston player Charles Riley (12) and Kimball player Kayden Gray (00) fight to control the ball during a Kimball High School versus Pinkston High School boys basketball playoff game at the Ellis Davis Field House in Dallas, Texas, on Mar 6, 2026.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The war inside The game was ultimately decided by the battle inside the paint as TCU’s frontline of Punch and junior center Xavier Edmonds scrapped and clawed with Kansas’ talented big men Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Mar. 2026
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He was involved in multiple relegation battles and believes having the right mindset is key.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Devoted fans will catch every clever nod, while newcomers can enjoy the romance, rivalry, and Regency ridiculousness without the multi-volume commitment.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The long-simmering rivalry between Sunni and Shiite Muslims erupted into a civil war that killed tens of thousands of civilians.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Imagine living in the dictatorship of North Korea, hungry all the time, laboring for no pay.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The addition of Crosby was supposed to be the piece to help lift the Ravens over the top, with the draft picks expected to be part of a rebuilding effort for the Raiders.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
In an effort to allay whipsawing energy markets, Western powers are considering an International Energy Agency proposal for the largest-ever release of oil reserves.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On Friday night, three people were taken into custody amid a clash between pro-Iranian regime demonstrators, who erected a shrine to the slain Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the former supreme leader of Iran, and anti-Khamenei protesters at Washington Square Park.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
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The recent developments evoke the clash of civilizations theory developed by Samuel Huntington in the 1990s.—
Debidatta A. Mahapatra,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggle. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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