struggle

American  

[struhg-uhl] / ˈstrʌg əl /

verb (used without object)

struggled, struggling

1. to contend with an adversary or opposing force.

   Synonyms:

   conflict, fight, contest, oppose

2. to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.; strive.

   to struggle for existence.

3. to advance with violent effort.

   to struggle through the snow.

4. (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.

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verb (used with object)

struggled, struggling

1. to bring, put, etc., by struggling.

   She struggled the heavy box into a corner.

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

noun

1. the process or an act or instance of struggling.

   Synonyms:

   exertion, endeavor

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

   Synonyms:

   skirmish, encounter

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

struggle British  

/ ˈstrʌɡəl /

verb

1. (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

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

3. (intr) to contend, battle, or fight

4. (intr) to go or progress with difficulty

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noun

1. a laboured or strenuous exertion or effort

2. a fight or battle

3. the act of struggling

4. 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

• prestruggle noun
• struggler noun
• struggling adjective
• strugglingly adverb
• unstruggling adjective

Etymology

Origin of struggle

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English struglen, stroglen, frequentative verb ( -le ) formed on a base of obscure origin

Example Sentences

The initiative aims to improve online listing accuracy, which retailers struggle with, and prepare for AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

But for the same reason, “those are the ones that very much struggle to bond.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The planet has several unusual features that scientists still struggle to explain.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Shares of all South Korean companies will continue to struggle against a falling won as the fuel import bill rises, Lui predicts.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Analysts and players alike predicted that Fischer would win the Candidates, but not without a struggle.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• attempt
• battle
• clash
• combat
• conflict
• contest
• effort
• encounter
• endeavor
• skirmish
• strife
• trial
• work