STRUGGLES Synonyms: 214 Similar and Opposite Words

struggles 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of struggle

as in stumbles

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

as in strives

to devote serious and sustained effort the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet

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struggles

2 of 2

noun

plural of struggle

as in battles

a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective a performer's long struggle to achieve success

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as in clashes

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

truces

as in rivalries

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of struggles

Verb

In bonds, France’s problem is America’s problem A lot of eyes are on the French bond market right now as Paris struggles to deal with its national debt. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026 Today, Los Angeles struggles as productions flee to places including New Jersey, Georgia, London and Albuquerque, which are taking their turns as urban shape-shifters. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 For all of their injuries and struggles this season, the Commanders would have moved just one game back of the NFC East lead with a win over the first-place New York Giants. — Jake Kauderer, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026 The network could support communications across remote regions where conventional infrastructure struggles to reach. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026 An offense that’s almost impossible to stop and a defense that struggles to get teams off the field. — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026 Ruben’s view Like many African countries, DR Congo struggles to enforce laws that exist on paper. — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Not only does Jeong-yo have an emotional connection to his music performance that Pi-o struggles to find himself, but Pi-o has injured his pinky in the leadup to the final performance, thanks to his obsessive practicing. — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 As someone who struggles with the dizzying effects of altitude, I was quickly reminded of Santa Fe’s 7,000-foot elevation. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Noun

Getting access to sumo stables, wrestlers, their traditions, rituals and thinking and struggles can’t have been easy. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 The sketch took aim at reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the aircraft carrier, including plumbing issues and mental-health struggles among the crew during their extended deployment. — Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 And El-Sayed, despite insisting the election should focus on Michigan voters and their economic struggles, has embraced the larger implications of his candidacy. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 And El-Sayed, while maintaining that the election should focus on Michigan voters and their economic struggles, has also embraced the larger implications of his candidacy. — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 Another one of music’s biggest acts, the beloved country star Jelly Roll, has also been frank about taking care of his mental health, amid personal struggles including his recent divorce as well as being a recovering addict. — Rob Ledonne, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2026 Sallitt depicts Jackie’s personal and professional struggles as specific hiccups that might manifest for anybody. — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Oct. 2026 Miami’s figuring out who has the mental makeup to survive the struggles. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026 There was a decent amount of quick-game stuff mixed in to mitigate the line’s early-season struggles, but Love wasn’t sacked and only absorbed two quarterback hits. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggles

Verb

While going through Verity’s files, Lowen stumbles on her memoir, an alleged confession.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
But here, too, Wladyka stumbles, opting for a comforting but pat ending about how dance and art enliven so many lives.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of stumbles

Verb

Yet, this tense adventure makes a strong case that bad parents can still teach good lessons, even when a kid strives to live in opposition to their folks.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Katie strives to use catering companies that adhere to the teachings of the Make America Healthy Again movement, one regular guest says, which encourages the consumption of raw milk and the avoidance of seed oils.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of strives

Noun

Policy Policy Your guide to the Supreme Court, federal courts, judicial nominations, and the legal battles shaping American policy.

— Washington Examiner, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2026
That changed after the 2020 presidential election, when secretaries of state in places such as Arizona, Georgia and Michigan were thrust into battles over election results, certification and false claims of widespread fraud.

— Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of battles

Noun

However, more than a year later, clashes continue in eastern Congo, and experts say negotiations will become even more complicated with Kabila in a leadership position.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Main roads leading Yemen’s third-largest city have been closed amid rebel attacks, with regular clashes on the outskirts and overnight bombardment.

— Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of clashes

Noun

Fans care about rivalries among teams made up of students who generally progress through college and exhaust their eligibility alongside their classmates, rather than athletes whose college careers extend well beyond the traditional timeline.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
There are a few big rivalries in the NFL, but almost none have as much history as Chicago and Green Bay.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of rivalries

Verb

Thoroughly unimpressed by her suburban idyll, and evidently unmoved by her responsibilities as wife and mother, Denise labors in her basement on a novel whose protagonist wishes to forsake her family for a life in New York.

— Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.

— Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026

Definition of labors

Noun

The trailer also featured glimpses of steamy makeouts, ATV chases down the beach, fiery explosions, and good ol’ bar fights.

— Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Director Christopher Nolan uses the premise to stage spectacular sequences where cars reverse down freeways at high speed, cause and effect goes topsy-turvy, and fights are just, well, weird.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of fights

Noun

This leads to even more behind-the-scenes skirmishes laced with character-centric comedy, as opposing factions align.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Ties between the two countries remain strained over their long-running Himalayan border dispute, which erupted into a deadly skirmishes in 2020 that saw soldiers from both sides use rocks and iron rods in brutal hand-to-hand combat.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of skirmishes

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“Struggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggles. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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verb

noun

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