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
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
But baseball’s membership still struggles with a division between the elite players, who make large sums of money, and everyone else.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Published in 2020, Beach Read is a romantic comedy following January Andrews, a successful romance novelist who struggles with grief and writer’s block after her father’s death and the discovery of secrets he’s long kept hidden.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
The independent market struggles to find enough money to get their films out, but they’re still being made.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
According to the warrant affidavit, the married couple who resides in the home speculated to police that the fire could have been set in connection with the wife’s son, who allegedly struggles with substance abuse.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
Jackson drew a comparison between the autoworkers' fight and civil rights struggles 30 years prior.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
The middle-aged woman cured of breast cancer who now struggles to climb stairs because endocrine therapy has carved away her bone density and caused joint aches.
—Gilberto Lopes, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
Kristy Alpert, Outside, 19 Feb. 2026
Her struggles are relatable, and her emotional victories — which often involve calling in help from Bandit, or her neighbor Wendy — feel likewise within reach.
—Miranda Rake, Parents, 19 Feb. 2026
The Huskies took advantage of their opponents’ struggles and charged ahead with a 15-2 run in the first quarter.
—Justin Vigil Zuniga, Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
Spirit's ongoing struggles Spirit Airlines recently sold 20 aircraft, most of which had not been in active service.
—Mike Diamond, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
But many thought a medal was possible despite her recent struggles.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Big Sean has never shied away from sharing his mental health struggles.
—Maya Georgi, VIBE.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Most people, even the ones who love us, do not want to hear about the struggles of where our families come from.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
In a broader sense, your relationships can also keep you from wallowing in your struggles.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
Makio struggles to make space for Asa in her heavily compartmentalized life, while navigating her feelings for her ex-boyfriend Shingo.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
But baseball’s membership still struggles with a division between the elite players, who make large sums of money, and everyone else.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Published in 2020, Beach Read is a romantic comedy following January Andrews, a successful romance novelist who struggles with grief and writer’s block after her father’s death and the discovery of secrets he’s long kept hidden.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
The independent market struggles to find enough money to get their films out, but they’re still being made.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
According to the warrant affidavit, the married couple who resides in the home speculated to police that the fire could have been set in connection with the wife’s son, who allegedly struggles with substance abuse.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
Jackson drew a comparison between the autoworkers' fight and civil rights struggles 30 years prior.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
The middle-aged woman cured of breast cancer who now struggles to climb stairs because endocrine therapy has carved away her bone density and caused joint aches.
—Gilberto Lopes, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
Focusing on Mental Health Everything changed when a 24-year-old Simone Biles withdrew from the finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, mentioning her mental health struggles.
—Kristy Alpert, Outside, 19 Feb. 2026
Her struggles are relatable, and her emotional victories — which often involve calling in help from Bandit, or her neighbor Wendy — feel likewise within reach.
—Miranda Rake, Parents, 19 Feb. 2026
The Huskies took advantage of their opponents’ struggles and charged ahead with a 15-2 run in the first quarter.
—Justin Vigil Zuniga, Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
Spirit's ongoing struggles Spirit Airlines recently sold 20 aircraft, most of which had not been in active service.
—Mike Diamond, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
But many thought a medal was possible despite her recent struggles.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Big Sean has never shied away from sharing his mental health struggles.
—Maya Georgi, VIBE.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Most people, even the ones who love us, do not want to hear about the struggles of where our families come from.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
In a broader sense, your relationships can also keep you from wallowing in your struggles.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggles
Verb
-
The romantic dramedy, based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, stars Anne Hathaway as Solène, a divorced mother who stumbles into a meet-cute with Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of a boy band.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Siegfried stumbles up just in time and tells Tall Man to walk away.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sweeney plays Undine Spragg, a fiercely ambitious woman from the Midwest, who strives for the social heights of turn of the century New York.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The Bureau strives to complete all 311 requests within five days.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The series of legal battles and a looming referendum take aim at an unprecedented special session in which lawmakers redrew the state’s congressional districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Almost fifty years ahead of the battles of World War II, the Marquis de Morès had faced death in order to avoid handing Africa over to the British and the Jews.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Elizabeth was principled and compassionate while Jessica was carefree, outgoing and manipulative, and their clashes and crushes became a welcome distraction.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In central states, climate change has sharpened competition over land and water, intensifying clashes between farmers and herders.—
Yusuf Tuggar,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In a sport historically defined by fierce rivalries and intense behind-the-scenes competition, three athletes who could be battling each other for the same prize have instead chosen friendship.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Long gone are the days of catty rivalries between Tonya and Nancy, Michelle and Tara.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Organizers are expecting some 1,500 Olympians, a bit over half those who competed in the Games, to parade into the monument built in the first century for gladiator fights and exotic animal hunts.—
Colleen Barry,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Workers in stores next to the 7-Eleven said arguments and fights were common at and around the convenience store — particularly among a few local homeless men who brawl over who gets to open the door for customers.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And while his 11 years with the Yankees were often marked with verbal skirmishes with George Steinbrenner, in 1982 the Boss showed his respect for Nettles’ baseball acumen and quiet clubhouse leadership to name him the first Yankee captain since Thurman Munson’s death in 1979.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These were not skirmishes but full-scale conflicts, usually costing tens—sometimes hundreds—of thousands of lives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Modi said India would continue to advocate for peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in western Asia and eastern Europe.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Lumley said the progress of the bill halted in 2025 due to conflicts with some of the agricultural groups in the state.—
Cami Koons,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Struggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggles. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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