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

Not only does Jeong-yo have an emotional connection to his music performance that Pi-o struggles to find himself, but Pi-o has injured his pinky in the leadup to the final performance, thanks to his obsessive practicing. — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

As someone who struggles with the dizzying effects of altitude, I was quickly reminded of Santa Fe’s 7,000-foot elevation. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Student protests are sweeping France as the government struggles to curb spending to bring public finances under control months before a key presidential election. — Ellen Francis, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026

The warning sign comes when the architecture struggles to meet them at the same time. — Nada Usina, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Part of me wonders if quarterback Tyler Shough struggles to figure out opposing defenses and then finally breaks through. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Rising healthcare costs are also a key component of the affordability struggles many face across the country. — Melissa Goldin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

The nation's flood insurance program struggles to balance affordability, flood protection and cost to taxpayers, leaving millions vulnerable at a time when climate change is driving flood risk higher. — Michael Phillis, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026

Next up was Christian Pulisic, dubbed Captain America, who is arguably a bit better but struggles with consistency. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026

Noun

Sallitt depicts Jackie’s personal and professional struggles as specific hiccups that might manifest for anybody. — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Oct. 2026

Miami’s figuring out who has the mental makeup to survive the struggles. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026

There was a decent amount of quick-game stuff mixed in to mitigate the line’s early-season struggles, but Love wasn’t sacked and only absorbed two quarterback hits. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Republicans secured wins in the larger metro area, but this year, the party is vulnerable with voters who are disgruntled about inflation, the Iran war and a president who seems unsympathetic to their struggles. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

From labor struggles and lynching to desegregation, Murray served as the ethical voice of reason, directing Roosevelt to use her immensely powerful position on behalf of righteous causes. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

Rodgers entered the night one victory shy of tying Tom Brady’s record of 14 Thursday night wins, while Pittsburgh’s road struggles against AFC North opponents continued as the Steelers fell to 0-10 in such games. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Blues singer Ma Rainey is making a new recording, which leads to interesting conversations with her band and shows the struggles of Black artists in an industry run by white managers and agents. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026

And their struggles rushing seemed to seep into the passing game, allowing the Bruins to focus on the aerial attack. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026