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

Missile salvos and militia attacks have choked key shipping lanes, damaged Saudi oil facilities and driven up global prices even as fragile diplomacy struggles to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and avert escalation. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

The film follows a young man who struggles to balance his mental problems, medication, and drugs with his musical ambitions. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 30 July 2026

However, Europe struggles with high battery costs and slower innovation compared to China. — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Second, mainstream perspectives disconnect Black liberation struggles from Pan-African and Pan-American efforts to hold the beneficiaries of anti-Black oppression accountable for their unearned gains, regardless of national boundaries. — Literary Hub, 27 July 2026

However, after a bad spell of Covid-19 a few years ago, Rick now struggles with Aspen’s elevation, so the couple have decided to part with the custom estate for $70 million. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 27 July 2026

That downbeat performance comes as the stock market struggles to make fresh record highs. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 27 July 2026

Once an avid Pilates goer, Beretti struggles to go up the stairs and can no longer run or jump. — Ella Moore july 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Funding is also a problem, as the severely degraded local health system in eastern Congo, as well as NGOs, struggles to cope as Ebola spreads in remote rural areas. — Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 23 July 2026

Noun

This systemic difference leads to vastly higher capitalization and ticket prices on Broadway, indicating that its financial struggles will continue without significant policy intervention and public funding. — Katie North, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

As for his personal life, Eric has been open about his struggles with substance abuse. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 July 2026

Jovic, who is preparing for his fifth NBA season after being drafted by the Heat with the 27th overall pick in 2022, is coming off a rough season that included injury issues and on-court struggles. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Davis’ connection to Teva’s campaign stems from his own struggles after football. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 July 2026

Finishing fifth in the Premier League salvaged Champions League qualification but Slot paid the price for their struggles when he was sacked a week after the season ended. — James Pearce, New York Times, 28 July 2026

In a place whose people are forced to endure the same struggles as their parents (to paraphrase one of this film’s most aching laments), time will always be a flat circle. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 July 2026

Whitney has been candid on past seasons of RHOSLC about her relationship struggles. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 July 2026