struggle

1 of 2

verb

strug·gle ˈstrə-gəl

struggled; struggling ˈstrə-g(ə-)liŋ

Synonyms of struggle next

intransitive verb

: to make strenuous or violent efforts in the face of difficulties or opposition

struggling with the problem

: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort

struggled through the high grass

struggling to make a living

struggler

ˈstrə-g(ə-)lər

noun

struggle

2 of 2

noun

: contest, strife

armed struggle

a power struggle

: a violent effort or exertion : an act of strongly motivated striving

a struggle to make ends meet

: tussle sense 1

during the struggle the gun went off

Example Sentences

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The new contract rewards Kelly for compiling a 17-8 record over the last two seasons while retaining a reasonable buyout should the Bruins struggle in making the transition to the Big Ten in August 2024. —

Staff Writer Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2023 But CBS News Investigations found that most other schools districts struggle to provide basic therapy and counseling. —

Stephen Stock, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2023 Plus, another element worth noting here is that the Cavaliers struggle to defend the 3-point arc, sitting 24th in effective 3-point percentage allowed. —

Nick Hennion, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2023 Those with extra-large in-ground pools need an effective water filtering system that won’t struggle to clean all the water in a day. —

Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2023 In fact, half of all men struggle to make intimate moments pleasurable due to this condition - but not for long! —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2023 Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the US, the researchers wrote in their report, noting that 10% to 15% of people in the US struggle with it. —

Kyla Russell, CNN, 24 Feb. 2023 His parents, who had seen his two older sisters struggle with college coursework despite being honor students at the local high school, decided to enroll him in private school. —

Jenny Vrentas, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2023 Staring down the ultimate unknown, some authors understandably struggle to walk the tightrope between comforting fictions and a macabre desolation. —

Eleanor Cummins, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2023

Noun

After a struggle ensued, Hoff shot Senter in the chest and killed him. —

Andrew Mark Miller, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2023 Older children in need of a family struggle to find placement with a permanent family or remain in foster care for years. —

Laura Goetz, STAT, 3 Mar. 2023 The woman’s son and daughter now stand charged in connection with the man’s Feb. 27 shooting death during a struggle in a Munster business’s parking lot, an affidavit alleges. —

Meredith Colias-pete, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023 Koresh took power in the group following a struggle with the previous leader's son. —

Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2023 The two remained wed until her death in January 2007 after a long struggle with emphysema. —

J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Feb. 2023 Several incidents drew national scrutiny, such as the death of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee who was shot in the back of the head by a Grand Rapids, Mich., officer during a struggle after a traffic stop in April. —

Steven Rich, Andrew Ba Tran And Jennifer Jenkins, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Feb. 2023 The decision comes in the wake of a $12 million payout the county agreed to make to settle a civil rights lawsuit from the family of Lucky Phounsy, who died in 2015 after a violent struggle with nearly a dozen deputies. —

San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2023 Several incidents drew national scrutiny, such as the death of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee who was shot in the back of the head by a Grand Rapids, Mich., officer during a struggle after a traffic stop in April. —

Jennifer Jenkins, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'struggle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.