struggle

[struhg-uhl]

See more synonyms for struggle on Thesaurus.com

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.

Origin of struggle

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

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

Synonyms for struggle

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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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for struggled

cope, try, toil, tackle, seek, strive, contend, grapple, compete, plug, assay, offer, scratch, dig, slave, grind, strain, hassle, sweat, undertake

Examples from the Web for struggled

Contemporary Examples of struggled

Morris struggled to straighten his back, which involved stiffening a spine rarely used.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’
Asawin Suebsaeng
January 7, 2015
Though researchers have struggled to understand exactly what contributes to this gender difference, Dr. Rohan has one hypothesis.
9 Ways to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder
DailyBurn
December 5, 2014
But as a nutrition-obsessed senior at Brown University, he struggled to find a protein bar he actually liked.
Is Cricket Flour the New Protein Powder?
DailyBurn
November 21, 2014
She struggled to concentrate on crossword puzzles and read books, so she just watched television.
Jeopardy! Champion Julia Collins’s Brain Feels Like Mush
Sujay Kumar
November 20, 2014
One male student told me about a teammate in a fraternity who struggled with an eating disorder.
Stepford Sororities: The Pressures of USC’s Greek Life
Maya Richard Craven
November 17, 2014

Historical Examples of struggled

Philæmon averted his face for a moment, and struggled hard with his feelings.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
After the captain left him, he struggled hard to unloose the cords which bound him.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
I remembered the object of my visit, and struggled for composure.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various
She struggled for a second in his arms, and received his kiss with a little laugh.
Viviette
William J. Locke
Cassidy struggled with all his pride against the dominant fury this man hurled on him.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana

British Dictionary definitions for struggled

struggle

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 struggled

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.).