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
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024
Biologists had struggled to determine the tree’s origins, as no fossils of ancient baobabs or their ancestors have been discovered, explained Dr. Wan Jun-Nan, one of the authors of the study, a researcher at the Wuhan Botanical Garden in Hubei, China.
—Tom Page, CNN, 24 June 2024
Anna Chan, Billboard, 25 June 2024
Reliving that day is still a struggle for the 47-year-old Sentsov, a father of four who expects to return to the front soon.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for struggle 
Verb
This week: quarterbacks. QBs in the spotlight A year ago, Husan Longstreet struggled in his early games after transferring to Corona Centennial.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024
Biologists had struggled to determine the tree’s origins, as no fossils of ancient baobabs or their ancestors have been discovered, explained Dr. Wan Jun-Nan, one of the authors of the study, a researcher at the Wuhan Botanical Garden in Hubei, China.
—Tom Page, CNN, 24 June 2024
Noun
Binzer was open about his struggles with substance abuse.
—Anna Chan, Billboard, 25 June 2024
Reliving that day is still a struggle for the 47-year-old Sentsov, a father of four who expects to return to the front soon.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 24 June 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 30 Jun. 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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