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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strives
to devote serious and sustained effort
the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of struggles
Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Over the last few years, Keira has lost her ability to speak, has started having seizures, and struggles more and more with walking.
—Elise Esposito, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Russia faces further battlefield setbacks Russia’s armed forces are suffering dual pressures from significant battlefield casualties and struggles to recruit replacements, underscoring Moscow’s growing challenges in its war on Ukraine.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
As the world struggles to contain the rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ituri Province, a vital network of research centers has been unable to help on the ground.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
What to Know About Adhesive Patches and Removers If your CGM struggles to last in humid weather or during exercise, an over-patch can buy days of wear.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Every administration since the Marcos dictatorship has directed particular attention to the island of Negros, which has seen considerable NPA activity because of the area’s chronic struggles over land rights.
—Patrick Peralta, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
The entry-level Razr struggles to match the visual beauty of its pricier sibling.
—Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 28 May 2026
Hannah’s onscreen lover, Garrett, struggles with anger issues stemming from childhood trauma and an abusive father.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2026
Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss but downplayed any worries about the team’s struggles after the game.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
In addition to all of those struggles, Lululemon, like everyone else, has also had to contend with a new conflict in the Middle East and surging gas prices, which are also increasing costs.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Summer will still come with its share of struggles.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026
Other observers have attributed her struggles to sexism.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Don't let anyone tell you your struggles prevent you from chasing your dreams.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Whereas Sanó’s struggles were physical, Lewis’ seemed more of the mental variety.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 3 June 2026
While the multi-hyphenate's kids give her a great sense of pride, Garner's home life has not come without some struggles (and in the public eye at that).
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 3 June 2026
Verb
In it, a Native Hawaiian family struggles to reclaim the ancestral lands that colonization, tourism, and rampant development threaten to overrun.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Over the last few years, Keira has lost her ability to speak, has started having seizures, and struggles more and more with walking.
—Elise Esposito, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Russia faces further battlefield setbacks Russia’s armed forces are suffering dual pressures from significant battlefield casualties and struggles to recruit replacements, underscoring Moscow’s growing challenges in its war on Ukraine.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
As the world struggles to contain the rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ituri Province, a vital network of research centers has been unable to help on the ground.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
What to Know About Adhesive Patches and Removers If your CGM struggles to last in humid weather or during exercise, an over-patch can buy days of wear.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Every administration since the Marcos dictatorship has directed particular attention to the island of Negros, which has seen considerable NPA activity because of the area’s chronic struggles over land rights.
—Patrick Peralta, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
The entry-level Razr struggles to match the visual beauty of its pricier sibling.
—Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 28 May 2026
Hannah’s onscreen lover, Garrett, struggles with anger issues stemming from childhood trauma and an abusive father.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2026
Noun
Ohtani was back to a full starter’s workload for the first time since 2023, even mentioning fatigue in his postgame interview after his second start of the season, and before games was working to address his offensive struggles.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss but downplayed any worries about the team’s struggles after the game.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
In addition to all of those struggles, Lululemon, like everyone else, has also had to contend with a new conflict in the Middle East and surging gas prices, which are also increasing costs.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Summer will still come with its share of struggles.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026
Other observers have attributed her struggles to sexism.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Don't let anyone tell you your struggles prevent you from chasing your dreams.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Whereas Sanó’s struggles were physical, Lewis’ seemed more of the mental variety.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 3 June 2026
While the multi-hyphenate's kids give her a great sense of pride, Garner's home life has not come without some struggles (and in the public eye at that).
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggles
Verb
-
The first robot stumbles on aluminum debris, its wheels furiously trying to get traction and move around the obstacle.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
Roher and co-writer Robert Ramsay craft a classically structured screenplay about a talented piano tuner who stumbles into a life of crime, upon which Roher, editor Greg O’Bryant, and composer Will Bates embroider jazzy rhythms and inflections, inspired by the musical world our characters inhabit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Rahma strives for a cinema-verité aesthetic, with footage sometimes shot on vintage digital cameras, but the show’s style can’t overcome the limits of its format.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
-
That's in stark contrast to the graying parishioners at most Spanish churches at a moment the Catholic Church strives to engage with and remain relevant to youth.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Situated on Route 33 in Manalapan, this state park has preserved the 18th-century landscape of one of the biggest battles of the Revolutionary War, where the Continental Army ambushed the British army along their route from Philadelphia to New York City.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Both King Charles and the Princess of Wales have been open about their respective cancer battles, using their platforms to drive public awareness.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
And intense clashes at a New Jersey immigration center about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the World Cup final will be held are a reminder of the tests facing the White House.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Slovenia’s Soča Valley carries World War I history — a museum in Kobarid covers the clashes between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces — while Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak, offers turquoise lakes at the glacier’s edge.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The narrative tracks Maurício (Reymond), a retired player striving to establish a new career as an agent in the aggressive football business while managing industry rivalries, family tensions, and the legacy of his past disappointments.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
The diary was still treated primarily as evidence of motive, evidence about the boys, their rivalries, their jealousy, their emotional states.—
Kate Casey,
Vanity Fair,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike so many iconic American fights, held in the halls of Congress or on the streets of major cities, this campaign is being waged for the most part in obscurity.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
This year, the event was more spread out in downtown Lee’s Summit, with the fights concentrated in the entrance to the festival area.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
One of those skirmishes, in fact, involved Childress himself, in 2011 at Kansas Speedway, when the then-65-year-old car owner for an opposing team got into a physical altercation with Busch after an on-track incident.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
-
Inconspicuous blows against Denver escalated to skirmishes.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Struggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggles. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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