struggle
Americanverb (used without object)
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to contend with an adversary or opposing force.
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to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.; strive.
to struggle for existence.
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to advance with violent effort.
to struggle through the snow.
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(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)
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to bring, put, etc., by struggling.
She struggled the heavy box into a corner.
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to make (one's way) with violent effort.
verb
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(intr; usually foll by for or against; may take an infinitive) to exert strength, energy, and force; work or strive
to struggle to obtain freedom
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(intr) to move about strenuously so as to escape from something confining
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(intr) to contend, battle, or fight
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(intr) to go or progress with difficulty
noun
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a laboured or strenuous exertion or effort
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a fight or battle
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the act of struggling
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the radical and armed opposition to apartheid, especially by the military wings of the ANC and the PAC
Usage
What are other ways to say struggle?
A struggle is a war, fight, conflict, or contest of any kind. How does struggle compare to brush and clash? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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strugglesimple
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strugglessimple
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have struggledperfect
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has struggledperfect
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am strugglingprogressive
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are strugglingprogressive
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is strugglingprogressive
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have been strugglingperfect progressive
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has been strugglingperfect progressive
Past
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struggledsimple
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had struggledperfect
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was strugglingprogressive
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were strugglingprogressive
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had been strugglingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of struggle
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English struglen, stroglen, frequentative verb ( see -le) formed on a base of obscure origin
Explanation
Something that can only be accomplished with great effort is said to be a struggle. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights struggle. Alice Paul was a leader in the struggle for a woman's right to vote. The verb form of struggle can be used for physical or mental effort. A police officer might struggle trying to detain a criminal or a student may struggle with a difficult algebra problem. If you scramble and climb awkwardly up something, you can also use the verb struggle to describe the action: "They struggled up the icy hill over and over again, so they could keep sledding."
Vocabulary lists containing struggle
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Beowulf vocabulary
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myPerspectives 7.1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A struggle also remains for Jefferson-Hemings descendants to gain the right to be buried in the Jefferson graveyard.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
The struggle over public safety became concrete when residents began placing makeshift barricades in the streets to slow ICE vehicles.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Disney spent $250 million to reimagine the oceanic-set movie, so 'Moana' will struggle to swim to profitability in its theatrical run," commented Variety.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
The Somerset Parent Carer Forum surveyed its members, and said it was a "recurring concern" that there is a struggle to find holiday activities.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
I’m coming, Togbe, my soul sang as I abandoned all struggle and felt myself drift down, down, down, filled with a joy I could barely contain.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
After "Saving Private Ryan," "The Martian" and "Interstellar," many jokes have also been made about Damon once again starring in a film in which his character struggles to get home.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
As Los Angeles struggles to fix its decrepit water system, officials are most concerned about 400 miles of pipes that they say pose the greatest risk of breaking and causing major property damage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
“We have filled the walls of our homes and hearts with countless memories, joys, struggles and triumphs,” she wrote Thursday on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Ms. Winger struggles to make these demure, repressive qualities come across naturally—and frankly fails.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
No one cared about my lack of arms; they were all far too caught up in their own struggles.
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
NBCUniversal’s Peacock is stretching its wings by joining the subscription YouTube Premium service — a significant boost for the streaming platform that has struggled to find its niche in the increasingly crowded landscape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Because Jupiter and Saturn are both gas giants, astronomers have struggled to explain why their major moons developed so differently.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Yet even with all of those amenities—and more—the property struggled on the market, despite the $10 million price cut.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
In Austin, Texas, Waymo’s robotaxis have struggled to follow parking rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Christopher struggled to hear: it sounded like “Rin.”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
The first day used to be so chaotic and humorous in the old days, with players not knowing how to put on helmets let alone figure out shoulder pads and struggling in line drills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Last year, he was struggling for feeling from the McLaren.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
PARIS—Firefighters were struggling Sunday to contain wildfires pushing dangerously close to the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France, leading authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the surrounding region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
In Durban's Chatsworth industrial area, a manager at a clothing factory said the departure of skilled machinists from Malawi and Mozambique had left factories struggling to meet orders.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Jonah looked back at the men struggling on the ground.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
