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
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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
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
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 3 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
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).
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
By using its Supercenters as fulfillment hubs, Walmart can deliver fresh groceries in under two hours—a proximity advantage Amazon’s centralized network struggles to match.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2026
Claude chatbot users are getting fed up with the recent rollout of new usage limits as Anthropic, the developer behind Claude, struggles to keep up with surging demand for its AI systems.
—Bruna Horvath, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a Freedom Camp, and Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Family struggles with father in jail Today, Flores, 27, is in a detention facility in Georgia, his wife said.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2026
Screens in education are one factor increasingly under scrutiny as educators and parents search for explanations for this generation’s academic struggles, which became most pronounced during COVID-19 but have lingered even after years back in the physical classroom.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
His comeback concert follows years of headline-grabbing controversies, mental health struggles, and his public apology in a Wall Street Journal ad this past January for his antisemitic remarks.
—Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The acclaimed artist has been candid about her struggles with cocaine and alcohol addiction and often explores those struggles in her lyrics.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 2 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
The national team’s struggles are a symptom of a wider problem in Italian soccer.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
The Trueba family’s passions, struggles, and secrets span a century of violent social change, culminating in a crisis that hurls the proud, tyrannical patriarch and his beloved granddaughter towards opposite sides of the fence.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Jac Caglianone is back after some rookie-year struggles, though those struggles were only at the big-league level.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Most important for companies considering replacing patches of their workforce with AI, the MIT data suggests AI struggles to perform more complicated tasks.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 3 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
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).
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
By using its Supercenters as fulfillment hubs, Walmart can deliver fresh groceries in under two hours—a proximity advantage Amazon’s centralized network struggles to match.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2026
Claude chatbot users are getting fed up with the recent rollout of new usage limits as Anthropic, the developer behind Claude, struggles to keep up with surging demand for its AI systems.
—Bruna Horvath, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a Freedom Camp, and Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Family struggles with father in jail Today, Flores, 27, is in a detention facility in Georgia, his wife said.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
The committee will share the information with parents and staff on which campuses would be closed and more details on consolidation amid increasing financial struggles.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2026
Screens in education are one factor increasingly under scrutiny as educators and parents search for explanations for this generation’s academic struggles, which became most pronounced during COVID-19 but have lingered even after years back in the physical classroom.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
His comeback concert follows years of headline-grabbing controversies, mental health struggles, and his public apology in a Wall Street Journal ad this past January for his antisemitic remarks.
—Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The acclaimed artist has been candid about her struggles with cocaine and alcohol addiction and often explores those struggles in her lyrics.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 2 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
The national team’s struggles are a symptom of a wider problem in Italian soccer.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
The Trueba family’s passions, struggles, and secrets span a century of violent social change, culminating in a crisis that hurls the proud, tyrannical patriarch and his beloved granddaughter towards opposite sides of the fence.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Jac Caglianone is back after some rookie-year struggles, though those struggles were only at the big-league level.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggles
Verb
-
Bleeding heavily, Waaler stumbles into a corridor and slowly takes his last breath as Hole, who jumped out at the floor above and ran back downstairs, watches, gun in hand.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In a world of jaded billionaires, psychiatrist-gurus, bio-hacked tech bros, AI labs and disillusioned teens being optimized in elite private schools, an audacious data-mining CEO (Magnussen) strives to turn insight and influence into profit and power.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Castlery is a direct-to-consumer furniture brand that strives to offer high-end and well-made yet fairly affordable furniture, and the Desmond chair is a testament to that.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At the same time, groups like the nonpartisan Latino Victory Project, which focuses on developing Hispanic political leadership, said this current moment should not distract from the still-ongoing civil rights battles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Understandably, some gamers may be skeptical or even alarmed, given the ethical issues and legal battles surrounding generative AI.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Videos from the scene showed clashes and even a man with a gun in one town.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In Dallas, clashes erupted between No Kings marchers and counter-protesters.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Others are places of conflict caused by rivalries between countries or peoples, disputes over national resources, or disagreements about the past.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
If festive pride persists, it is no longer connected to a country, empire, culture, or race, but the unique traditions of individual municipalities, pitted against one another in fierce but friendly, sportsmanlike rivalries.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Others dropped re-election bids following redistricting fights that scrambled political maps and would have forced them to campaign in new districts.—
Benjamin Siegel,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
While still being finalized, the card features two championship fights.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With billions of dollars at stake, the conflicts manifest in sharp skirmishes in the Legislature, in courts and in the ballot measure arena.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In a dangerous escalation from cross-border skirmishes, Pakistan launched air strikes at the end of February, targeting major cities including Kabul.—
Harriet Marsden,
TheWeek,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Struggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggles. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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