struggle
- 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.
- to bring, put, etc., by struggling: She struggled the heavy box into a corner.
- to make (one's way) with violent effort.
- 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
Synonyms for struggle
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for struggled
cope, try, toil, tackle, seek, strive, contend, grapple, compete, plug, assay, offer, scratch, dig, slave, grind, strain, hassle, sweat, undertakeExamples from the Web for struggled
Contemporary Examples of struggled
Morris struggled to straighten his back, which involved stiffening a spine rarely used.
Though researchers have struggled to understand exactly what contributes to this gender difference, Dr. Rohan has one hypothesis.
But as a nutrition-obsessed senior at Brown University, he struggled to find a protein bar he actually liked.
She struggled to concentrate on crossword puzzles and read books, so she just watched television.
One male student told me about a teammate in a fraternity who struggled with an eating disorder.
Historical Examples of struggled
Philæmon averted his face for a moment, and struggled hard with his feelings.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
After the captain left him, he struggled hard to unloose the cords which bound him.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
I remembered the object of my visit, and struggled for composure.
She struggled for a second in his arms, and received his kiss with a little laugh.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
Cassidy struggled with all his pride against the dominant fury this man hurled on him.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
struggle
- (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
- 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
Word Origin for struggle
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.).