struggle

[struhg-uhl]

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.

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

/ 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

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of struggle¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of struggle¹

C14: of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Images of gleaming tables and dancing guests circulated widely, a striking contrast to the very real struggles some Americans faced the following day.

Read more on Salon

Alexander-Arnold has endured a difficult time since his Madrid move, struggling to establish himself in the first team, being left out of the England squad and sidelined by injury.

Read more on BBC

An increasing share of American adults, especially those under 40, say they are struggling with memory, focus, and decision-making, according to a new study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Read more on Science Daily

It was genuinely sad to see him struggling for answers at Fulham but he is experienced enough to have known what was likely to come.

Read more on BBC

International powers have struggled for months to mediate an end to the fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army, raging since April 2023.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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

When To Use

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.