struggle

[ struhg-uhl ]

/ ˈstrʌg əl /

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verb (used without object), strug·gled, strug·gling.

to contend with an adversary or opposing force.

to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.; strive: to struggle for existence.

to advance with violent effort: to struggle through the snow.

(of athletes and competitors) to be coping with inability to perform well or to win; contend with difficulty: After struggling for the whole month of June, he suddenly caught fire and raised his batting average 30 points.

verb (used with object), strug·gled, strug·gling.

to bring, put, etc., by struggling: She struggled the heavy box into a corner.

to make (one's way) with violent effort.

noun

the process or an act or instance of struggling.

a war, fight, conflict, or contest of any kind.

a task or goal requiring much effort to accomplish or achieve.

Nearby words

Origin of struggle

1350–1400; Middle English struglen, stroglen, frequentative v. (see -le) formed on a base of obscure origin

SYNONYMS FOR struggle

1. oppose, contest, fight, conflict. 7. endeavor, exertion. 8. encounter, skirmish. Struggle, brush, clash refer to a hostile meeting of opposing persons, parties, or forces. Struggle implies vigorous bodily effort or violent exertion: a hand-to-hand struggle. A brush is a brief, but smart, and often casual combat: a brush between patrols. Clash implies a direct and sharp collision between opposing parties, efforts, interests, etc.: a clash of opinions.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR struggle ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsstrug·gler, nounstrug·gling·ly, adverbpre·strug·gle, noun, verb (used without object), pre·strug·gled, pre·strug·gling.un·strug·gling, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for struggle

Then she managed to struggle a mile through dark, rainy woods.
The 7-Year-Old Plane Crash Survivor’s Brutal Journey Through the Woods|James Higdon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But it turns out it was really about a woman's struggle to realize what actually makes her happy.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards|Kevin Fallon|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In her struggle to find her daughter, Esther becomes one of the founders of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo.
How Pope Francis Became the World’s BFF|Jason Berry|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Welcome to the daily struggle of every face you meet in Cuba.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The struggle continues and Chan is punched, suffering a broken nose.
Protesters Slimed This Good Samaritan Cop|Michael Daly|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beaw is the divine helper of man in his struggle with the elements.
Beowulf|R. W. Chambers
A struggle under such circumstances must be a terrible thing, and the shorter it can be made the better.
Miss Caprice|St. George Rathborne
Another moment, however, and he had given up the struggle to think it all out and fallen asleep with his head on his mother's lap.
America First|Frances Nimmo Greene
Without renouncing the struggle, he therefore waited for some opportunity which he might turn to good account.
Fruitfulness|Emile Zola
I took off my coat and placed it under him, and held his head in my lap, in which position he died without a groan or a struggle.
History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2 (of 2)|George Washington Williams

British Dictionary definitions for struggle

struggle

/ (ˈstrʌɡəl) /

verb

(intr; usually foll by for or against; may take an infinitive) to exert strength, energy, and force; work or striveto struggle to obtain freedom

(intr) to move about strenuously so as to escape from something confining

(intr) to contend, battle, or fight

(intr) to go or progress with difficulty

noun

a laboured or strenuous exertion or effort

a fight or battle

the act of struggling

the struggle Southern African the radical and armed opposition to apartheid, especially by the military wings of the ANC and the PAC

Derived Formsstruggler, nounstruggling, adjectivestrugglingly, adverb

Word Origin for struggle

C14: of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for struggle

struggle

late 14c., probably a frequentative form, of uncertain origin. Skeat suggests Old Norse strugr "ill will;" others suggest a connection to Dutch struikelen, German straucheln "to stumble." Related: Struggled; struggling.

struggle

1690s, from struggle (v.).

struggle

verb (used without object), strug·gled, strug·gling.

verb (used with object), strug·gled, strug·gling.

noun

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Origin of struggle

Examples from the Web for struggle

struggle

verb

noun

Word Origin for struggle

struggle

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