struggle

1 of 2

verb

strug·​gle ˈstrə-gəl How to pronounce struggle (audio)
struggled; struggling ˈstrə-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce struggle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to make strenuous or violent efforts in the face of difficulties or opposition
struggling with the problem
2
: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort
struggled through the high grass
struggling to make a living
struggler noun

struggle

2 of 2

noun

1
: contest, strife
armed struggle
a power struggle
2
: a violent effort or exertion : an act of strongly motivated striving
a struggle to make ends meet
3
: tussle sense 1
during the struggle the gun went off

Examples of struggle in a Sentence

Verb He has been struggling with the problem of how to keep good workers from leaving. They struggled for the right to vote. She struggled up the hill through the snow. She struggled to lift the package by herself, but it was too heavy. He struggled to get free of the wreckage. He's been struggling in math class for most of the year. The team has continued to struggle in recent weeks. He was living as a struggling artist in the city. Noun the struggle for civil rights There was a struggle for the gun. There was no sign of a struggle. It was a struggle getting out of bed this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
These rules are tougher than the federal standards because California has the most cars on the road and struggles to meet air quality standards. Sophie Austin, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024 Amid nationwide mental health crisis, suicide prevention hotlines struggle with repeat callers Most of the officers who died by suicide were in a relationship (59%) and had one more more children (66%). Luke Barr, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 The four national parks with the highest ozone levels are all in California, with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks topping the list of parks struggling with air that’s dangerous to breathe, according to a recent report by the National Parks Conservation Assn., an independent advocacy group. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 As the region has struggled with rising homelessness in recent years, previous reductions in the unhoused veteran population had been one of the few bright spots. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 While Fitzgerald, 26, has struggled at the plate this spring, his athleticism and versatility are unique qualities on the Giants’ bench. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Catholics continue to struggle with fallout from the clergy abuse scandal. Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024 Like most newspaper companies, Gannett has been struggling financially for several years. David Bauder, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Like many cities that depend on tourism to stay afloat, Sedona has struggled with having enough affordable housing for its workforce. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024
Noun
Through visual and sonic storytelling, the audience will experience the inner world of Evie’s struggle without the use of dialogue. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024 Last Friday, those rules were significantly altered for migrants without children, the culmination of a months-long struggle by the city to curtail its legal obligations to new arrivals as their number surpassed 180,000 and the cost of shelter soared. Karin Brulliard, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 Whoopi Goldberg, 68, is being open and candid about her own struggles with weight in the wake of Oprah’s recent special, Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution, which aired on ABC on March 18. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 20 Mar. 2024 The struggle to figure out the best organizational structure for computing education is, in a way, a microcosm of the struggle under way in the computing sector at large. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 Given the festival’s recent struggles, fair board members were wary about their potential legal liability if more tickets are sold for event dates that never happen. Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 In both an Instagram video and an essay for E!’s website, Knight, 42, opened up about her struggles with a rare blood disorder called microcytic anemia. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Candy’s struggle as a trans woman is the reason Carr undertook this project. Jessica Ferri, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 With their pool located under several oak trees, another shopper shared their struggle to clean tree debris and algae for several years. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'struggle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English struglen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of struggle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near struggle

Cite this Entry

“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/struggle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

struggle

1 of 2 verb
strug·​gle ˈstrəg-əl How to pronounce struggle (audio)
struggled; struggling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce struggle (audio)
1
: to make a great effort to overcome someone or something : strive
struggling with the problem
2
: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort
struggled through the snow
struggler noun

struggle

2 of 2 noun
1
: fight entry 2 sense 1a, contest
a power struggle
2
: a violent or strenuous effort or exertion
a struggle to make ends meet

More from Merriam-Webster on struggle

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