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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strive
to devote serious and sustained effort
the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
a performer's long struggle to achieve success
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in battle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
her staunchest supporters in her struggle for the office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of struggle
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2025
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman,wife Betsy Arakawa, found dead in their home
Gene Hackman's health struggles: What is angina?
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Alexandra Alter, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Courting Trump Modi offered quick tariff concessions ahead of his visit, with New Delhi slashing duties on high-end motorcycles—a boost to Harley-Davidson, the iconic U.S. manufacturer whose struggles in India have irked Trump.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Verb
The Huskies got out to a lethargic start and struggled for more than four minutes to get a shot to fall.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2025
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman,wife Betsy Arakawa, found dead in their home
Gene Hackman's health struggles: What is angina?
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
Still, surviving as a small press has often been a struggle.
—Alexandra Alter, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Courting Trump Modi offered quick tariff concessions ahead of his visit, with New Delhi slashing duties on high-end motorcycles—a boost to Harley-Davidson, the iconic U.S. manufacturer whose struggles in India have irked Trump.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggle
Verb
-
Skype won attention in the 2000s for giving people a way to talk without paying the phone company, but stumbled in the mobile era and didn’t enjoy a major resurgence during the pandemic.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Those concerns came to a head during Biden's debate against now-President Donald Trump in June, when Biden sounded hoarse and appeared to stumble through several answers.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
If errors are made, they will be flagged and corrected as needed, while striving to do what's best for the American people.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Rogers cared deeply about the children his show touched, striving to spread kindness and make the world a better place.—
Makena Gera,
People.com,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Their responses indicate a lengthy fight to come over the budget resolution.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2025
-
His childhood was turbulent—his parents' frequent fights sometimes turned physical, with his father directing his frustrations at young Gene.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Social Security official resigns after clash with Musk's DOGE.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Acting head of Social Security abruptly steps down after clash with DOGE over data.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The movie, aka Episode III, takes place years after the onset of the Clone Wars, when the noble Jedi Knights lead a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Even if the odds of us winning the title are now vanishingly small, giving up now could put us at risk of getting dragged into a top 4 battle.—
James McNicholas,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Ultimately, this post-neoliberal ideology and its adherents did not take tradeoffs seriously enough, laboring under an illusion that previous policymakers were too beholden to economic orthodoxy to make real progress for people.—
Jason Furman,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Feb. 2025
-
Employees who labored long hours on a dairy farm were disappointed on payday when their checks showed no overtime pay and was missing compensation for regular hours worked, Minnesota police said.—
Kate Linderman,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
And yet, from the ACLU to the Washington Post and the New York Times, the institutional guardians of the Left made a concerted effort to cede those causes to the mosh posh of crunchy anti-war peaceniks, classical conservatives, frat bros, and ordinary Americans who make up MAGA.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Elon Musk's Tesla has become a rallying point for protestors outraged with how the world's richest man has insinuated himself into President Trump's administration and led efforts to slash government agencies.—
April Rubin,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Musk’s latest statement marks yet another escalation in the ongoing skirmish.—
Dimitar 'Mix' Mihov,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
-
As per an incident report obtained by the Miami Herald, multiple guests eventually joined in the skirmish at Manor Complex entertainment complex in Wilton Manors in the early hours of Jan. 26.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggle. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share