1
as in stumbled
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labored
to devote serious and sustained effort
the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of struggled
Wembanyama, one of the marquee stars of this series, was his usual disruptive presence in the paint defensively but struggled to make a larger impact elsewhere.
—
Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
Meta still counts on ads for about 98% of revenue, having repeatedly struggled to sell digital and physical products over the years.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Madrid said Porter did well with a key Democratic constituency — white women over the age of 40 — but struggled to grow her campaign beyond that group.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Kostyuk then spent many years battling to maintain her rankings and struggled to make a big impact at the major events.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
In recent years the Navy has struggled to keep up with that effort, with shipbuilding historically being over budget and behind in schedule.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
Pierre is from Cite Soleil, a seaside neighborhood that has long struggled with hunger, massacres and gang violence.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 3 June 2026
For the first week of the tournament, players struggled through a heat wave, with temperatures reaching up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
But privately, there were times Halverson struggled.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
Meta still counts on ads for about 98% of revenue, having repeatedly struggled to sell digital and physical products over the years.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Madrid said Porter did well with a key Democratic constituency — white women over the age of 40 — but struggled to grow her campaign beyond that group.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Kostyuk then spent many years battling to maintain her rankings and struggled to make a big impact at the major events.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
In recent years the Navy has struggled to keep up with that effort, with shipbuilding historically being over budget and behind in schedule.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
Pierre is from Cite Soleil, a seaside neighborhood that has long struggled with hunger, massacres and gang violence.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 3 June 2026
For the first week of the tournament, players struggled through a heat wave, with temperatures reaching up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
But privately, there were times Halverson struggled.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggled
Verb
-
Soto, wounded, stumbled into the Wingstop seeking help.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
-
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The Thunder labored through a 111-103 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in a decisive Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Even the involuntary action of breathing was labored, and constantly faltering.—
Casey Ross,
STAT,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Jared Bednar’s plan worked, and this core executed it with near-flawless precision in 2022.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
The walk-off home run came after the bullpen of the Twins (27-31) had worked four scoreless innings, taking over after a four-inning start from Taj Bradley.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
When Disney+ first launched, the House of Mouse endeavored to make its streaming platform the new home of all things Star Wars.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
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Johnson for months endeavored to appoint his ally ex-Ald.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To make matters messier, Danson and Goldberg’s romance was cooling off and the two actually tried to get out of the Friars roast, but the club said the tickets had been sold and the show must go on.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Struggled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggled. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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