1
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
each week I would struggle through my piano lesson, keenly aware that I wasn't getting any better
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strive
to devote serious and sustained effort
the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet
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1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
a performer's long struggle to achieve success
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2
as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
there was a struggle between the armed robber and the shopkeeper, and the gun went off
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3
as in battle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of struggle
Rafael Nam, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
But after losing her husband of 10 years, Bynum struggled to find seasonal jobs to pay her bills.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
His answer is simply to express it; to pass it around and let others get a piece of it, to choose ordinary, public pleasure over a private struggle to express his feelings accurately and without any hint of cliché.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for struggle 
Verb
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Nissan in particular has struggled recently, especially in the key American market, where sales have weakened.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
But after losing her husband of 10 years, Bynum struggled to find seasonal jobs to pay her bills.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
The civil-rights struggles of these decades have had an urgency and an excitement that, Sauer writes, make their supporters think victory will be both quick and lasting.
—Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
His answer is simply to express it; to pass it around and let others get a piece of it, to choose ordinary, public pleasure over a private struggle to express his feelings accurately and without any hint of cliché.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for struggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggle
Verb
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While overzealous forecasting tells part of the digital health story this year, there were some notable stumbles at particular companies.Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
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The inquiry into their use came during a 2023 dispute between the city and the Crane Boulevard Safety Coalition, which stumbled on the disappearing messages after the city approved the construction of a home in Mount Washington.Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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Eggers and his go-to production designer Craig Lathrop also put a unique emphasis on building realistic worlds—their production design strives extra hard to close gaps between Eggers’s olden aesthetic and the modern audience’s perception.Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Connecticut lawmakers argued that the 48-hour spending fight is a precursor to what the next year could look like when Trump returns to office and Republicans regain complete control of Congress.Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 23 Dec. 2024
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The potential risk of a constitutional convention has set the stage for a fight between Newsom and a fellow Democrat.Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The president-elect has also vowed to issue an executive order ending birthright citizenship, setting up a constitutional clash over the 14th Amendment that could wind up at the Supreme Court. 2.Zachary Basu, Axios, 26 Dec. 2024
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One of Ohio State's two losses this season came at the hands of the Ducks in a mid-October clash, where Oregon prevailed 32-21.Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Therefore, in a sense, the battle to finish second is almost the most interesting thing — and these days, that’s usually Real Madrid.Michael Cox, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
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Detroit has lost its cavalry commander from the Last Great Newspaper War, the all-out mid-1980s battle for circulation in the last market outside New York where two newspapers still sold more than 650,000 copies a day.Tim Kiska, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The actor-writer-director labored with love for seven years on this mutant hybrid of The Fountainhead, The Conformist and The Godfather movies, and it should be met with an equal amount of awe and admiration.David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
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His breathing is labored, like he’s got fluid in his lungs, or maybe some broken ribs.Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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However, thanks to my effort, dedication, and the unwavering support of each one of you, that dream has become a reality.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
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At the time, Coplan wouldn’t say much about his team’s efforts to stop U.S. users from betting on elections.Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Editors’ Picks The teenager who drove them there lost his car key during the skirmish.Shayla Colon, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2024
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The accusations were just the latest skirmish in a war of words between the struggling retailer’s current management and its largest shareholder that dragged on for months.Robert Olsen, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near struggle
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggle. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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