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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strives
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 battles
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
a performer's long struggle to achieve success
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of struggles
ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Car launches are generally ghastly events, and this was way down there with the most hideous… and perhaps gave a clue as to why VW struggles to match its huge European sales success in America.
—New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026
Gabe, by contrast, struggles with nearly everything outside of social engagement.
—Dr. Joseph D'orazio, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Nearly 150 pink slips as the once-promising action camera company struggles to turn a profit.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Through favors and coercion, both couples vie for the approval of the elitist club’s billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh Jung), who struggles to manage her own scandal involving her second husband, Doctor Kim (Song Kang Ho).
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
In the new Paramount+ series, the 75-year-old actor plays Preston Clyburn, whose tragic death in the first episode serves as the emotional catalyst of the series as his family struggles to cope with his sudden loss.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force.
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Peet plays a therapist who struggles with her own mental health and the health and familial changes that occur during midlife.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 3 Apr. 2026
Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
The mayor last December went on to lose a historic budget vote, in what one ally declared was a return of the 1980s Council Wars – a reference to the struggles of former Mayor Harold Washington.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
The series poignantly addresses the complexities of teenage struggles, particularly through Justin’s undiagnosed ADHD and Keisha’s experience of trauma, emphasizing the importance of unconditional support and the intersection of mental health with race and class in today’s world.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Building on Ikeno and Davies’ mention of Japan’s agrarian past in their cultural study, Hayama explained to me how this instilled a sense of quiet determination amidst struggles.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
When Gass was first announced as Levi’s president in 2022—spending a year under the tutelage of CEO predecessor Chip Bergh before taking over a year later—many in the peanut gallery pointed to her previous struggles at Kohl’s as reason for skepticism.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
The late content creator was also transparent about her struggles with alcoholism, occasionally sharing posts about her high alcohol intake and messages about trying to cut back.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Consulting a sports psychologist to care for his mental health has made a huge difference, in good times and during struggles.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
Also, UConn had some early struggles against North Carolina and Notre Dame before pulling away later.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The rickshaws have become increasingly popular in Sierra Leone, filling the gaps in a strained public transport system as the West African country struggles to recover from its 1991-2002 civil war.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Car launches are generally ghastly events, and this was way down there with the most hideous… and perhaps gave a clue as to why VW struggles to match its huge European sales success in America.
—New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026
Gabe, by contrast, struggles with nearly everything outside of social engagement.
—Dr. Joseph D'orazio, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Nearly 150 pink slips as the once-promising action camera company struggles to turn a profit.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Through favors and coercion, both couples vie for the approval of the elitist club’s billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh Jung), who struggles to manage her own scandal involving her second husband, Doctor Kim (Song Kang Ho).
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
In the new Paramount+ series, the 75-year-old actor plays Preston Clyburn, whose tragic death in the first episode serves as the emotional catalyst of the series as his family struggles to cope with his sudden loss.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force.
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Peet plays a therapist who struggles with her own mental health and the health and familial changes that occur during midlife.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
Meta suggested that Kaley’s mental-health struggles were attributable not to social-media addiction but, rather, to her mother’s emotional and physical abuse and neglect, and that Kaley’s social-media use was not the source of her troubles but a way to cope with them.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
The mayor last December went on to lose a historic budget vote, in what one ally declared was a return of the 1980s Council Wars – a reference to the struggles of former Mayor Harold Washington.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
The series poignantly addresses the complexities of teenage struggles, particularly through Justin’s undiagnosed ADHD and Keisha’s experience of trauma, emphasizing the importance of unconditional support and the intersection of mental health with race and class in today’s world.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Building on Ikeno and Davies’ mention of Japan’s agrarian past in their cultural study, Hayama explained to me how this instilled a sense of quiet determination amidst struggles.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
When Gass was first announced as Levi’s president in 2022—spending a year under the tutelage of CEO predecessor Chip Bergh before taking over a year later—many in the peanut gallery pointed to her previous struggles at Kohl’s as reason for skepticism.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
The late content creator was also transparent about her struggles with alcoholism, occasionally sharing posts about her high alcohol intake and messages about trying to cut back.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Consulting a sports psychologist to care for his mental health has made a huge difference, in good times and during struggles.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
Also, UConn had some early struggles against North Carolina and Notre Dame before pulling away later.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggles
Verb
-
Based on a true story, Erin Brockovich follows the titular law firm worker who stumbles upon records involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company's culpability in a contamination incident.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Bankman-Fried stumbles through an answer about payments.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tips for eating Ethiopian food Tedla strives to find the right balance between authenticity for natives alongside choice for people who are curious but nervous about trying a new food.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The word counterculture generally refers to any movement that strives to achieve ideals counter to those of mainstream society.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This year’s Supreme Court election stands in stark contrast to the swing state’s previous two, where national spending records were set in battles over majority control.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Attacks like these are part of a long-running cycle of violence in north-central Nigeria, where disputes over land and grazing between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities frequently escalate into deadly clashes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Know your limits to stay out of trouble or debt as the sun clashes with Jupiter!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Timoja had been misinformed that the ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah, had died, leaving behind a young and inexperienced successor, and that internal rivalries among Deccan rulers had further weakened Goa.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Procházka now holds a 6-2 record in the UFC with all eight fights ending inside the distance.—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Mecklenburg County has spent years at the center of political fights over immigration policy, particularly under McFadden.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The most recent of many legal skirmishes to come to the public’s attention involves Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson’s daughter.—
Naomi Cahn,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Struggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggles. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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