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
- 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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The planet has several unusual features that scientists still struggle to explain.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
European pain matters for the U.S., too: Foreign customers for U.S. goods and services might lose buying power as their own economies struggle.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Consumer goods conglomerates have been trying to slim down their operations as they struggle to deal with stubborn inflation and slow growth.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Higher energy costs, higher interest rates and shifting economic paradigms from the AI-investment cycle are creating both winners and losers that the credit markets struggle to discount adequately.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
“I see much struggle, much hardship,” Darkness said.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
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.
