struggled; struggling
ˈstrə-g(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to make strenuous or violent efforts in the face of difficulties or opposition
struggling with the problem
2
: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort
struggled through the high grass
struggling to make a living
2
: a violent effort or exertion : an act of strongly motivated striving
a struggle to make ends meet
3
: tussle sense 1
during the struggle the gun went off
Synonyms
Examples of struggle in a Sentence
Verb
He has been struggling with the problem of how to keep good workers from leaving.
They struggled for the right to vote.
She struggled up the hill through the snow.
She struggled to lift the package by herself, but it was too heavy.
He struggled to get free of the wreckage.
He's been struggling in math class for most of the year.
The team has continued to struggle in recent weeks.
He was living as a struggling artist in the city.
Noun
the struggle for civil rights
There was a struggle for the gun.
There was no sign of a struggle.
It was a struggle getting out of bed this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Cart abandonment is an issue many retailers are already struggling to overcome, with rates currently hovering around 70% globally, according to the Baymard Institute.
—David Moradi, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Brian Sampson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
After a bitter and bloody struggle, the central government prevailed and Lincoln freed the enslaved people, but he was assassinated a month after starting his second term.
—Carl Leubsdorf, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for struggle 
Verb
The reality is that managers have been struggling since the pandemic.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Cart abandonment is an issue many retailers are already struggling to overcome, with rates currently hovering around 70% globally, according to the Baymard Institute.
—David Moradi, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
Doc Rivers has stressed the need to wipe out these kinds of mental lapses, but this effort looked all too familiar—reminiscent of last season’s struggles.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
After a bitter and bloody struggle, the central government prevailed and Lincoln freed the enslaved people, but he was assassinated a month after starting his second term.
—Carl Leubsdorf, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for struggle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'struggle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near struggle
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/struggle. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
struggle
2 of 2 noun1
: fight entry 2 sense 1a, contest
a power struggle
2
: a violent or strenuous effort or exertion
a struggle to make ends meet
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