Synonyms of struggles

struggles 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of struggle

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stumbles
• blunders
• flounders
• shuffles
• trudges
• fumbles
• limps
• jogs
• lurches
• falters
• plods
• lumbers
• sways
• reels
• bumbles
• wallows
• shambles
• flogs
• staggers
• totters
• muddles
• welters
• teeters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flies
• glides
• sails
• zooms
• coasts
• zips
• kilts

2

as in strives

to devote serious and sustained effort

the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strives
• labors
• works
• endeavors
• tries
• toils
• slaves
• tugs
• travails
• hustles
• plows
• sweats
• humps
• digs (away)
• strains
• pegs (away)
• grubs
• bangs away
• plods
• slogs
• plugs
• fags
• drudges
• moils
• beavers (away)
• sweats blood
• attacks
• hammers (away)
• applies (oneself)
• buckles (down)
• exercises
• pitches in
• drives
• knuckles down
• exerts
• scratches
• essays
• digs in
• grinds (out)
• ekes out
• overworks
• wades
• trudges
• overexerts
• scrabbles
• puts out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breaks
• eases (up)
• slackens
• lets up
• slacks (off)
• shirks
• hangs (around or out)
• rests
• goofs (off)
• chills
• loafs
• lounges
• goldbricks
• dillydallies
• plays
• bums
• unwinds
• dallies
• hacks (around)
• lazes
• idles
• basks
• reposes
• hangs
• relaxes
• dabbles
• footles
• lolls
• fools around
• hangs about
• messes around
• fribbles
• goofs (around)
• doodles
• trifles
• vegges out
• putters (around)
• potters (around)
• monkeys (around)

struggles

2 of 2

noun

plural of struggle

1

as in battles

a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective

a performer's long struggle to achieve success

Synonyms & Similar Words

• battles
• fights
• efforts
• frays
• throes
• works
• attempts
• pains
• scrabbles
• tries
• troubles
• toils
• endeavors
• exertions
• travails
• grinds
• wars
• conflicts
• tussles
• labors
• sweats
• contests
• drudgeries
• combats
• strifes
• essays
• warfares

2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• clashes
• fights
• battles
• skirmishes
• tussles
• scuffles
• conflicts
• dustups
• brawls
• frays
• contests
• confrontations
• scrimmages
• altercations
• combats
• scraps
• duels
• fracases
• blows
• hassles
• quarrels
• pitched battles
• disputes
• scrums
• squabbles
• battles royal
• controversies
• broils
• tangles
• mix-ups
• wrangles
• disagreements
• fistfights
• melees
• rough-and-tumbles
• grapples
• spats
• affrays
• misunderstandings
• slugfests
• punch-outs
• fisticuffs
• ruckuses
• jousts
• rows
• ructions
• donnybrooks
• contretemps
• tiffs
• arguments
• punch-ups
• fallings-out
• catfights
• cross fires
• handgrips
• kickups
• face-offs
• free-for-alls
• argle-bargles
• argy-bargies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truces

3

as in rivalries

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• battles
• rivalries
• conflicts
• confrontations
• contentions
• duels
• competitions
• wars
• matches
• contests
• warfares
• clashes
• strifes
• grapples
• combats
• ball games
• dogfights
• sweepstakes
• tugs-of-war
• showdowns
• debates
• disputes
• face-offs
• horse races
• frictions
• disputations
• controversies
• quarrels
• disagreements
• collisions
• arguments
• discords
• wrangles
• nail-biters
• dissensions
• rows

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• harmonies
• concords
• peaces

Example Sentences

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

Ohio State could still beat USC on the road, even with a backup, considering the Trojans' struggles to win big games under Riley and their suffocating defense. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Kansas City officials have acknowledged the city’s struggles to address homelessness, with reports ranking the city as among the worst in terms of the number of people without shelter. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026

The Hawks entered the night riding their first back-to-back wins of the season, but defensive-zone struggles, sloppy puck handling and giveaways dropped them to 2-2-0 on their seven-game homestand. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Before his death, Presley had been open about his struggles with his mental health, depression and substance abuse. — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026

Presley, who was arrested and charged with a DUI in 2019, had previously been open about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse, chronicling his journey on Instagram. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2026

Presley Gerber had been open about his struggles with mental health and addiction. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026

Her struggles with mental illness, which led to a long hospitalization and visits to her home by the NYPD, led to the cold-blooded killing that rattled the entire neighborhood. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 17 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