struggle 1 of 2

verb

ˈstrə-gəl How to pronounce struggle (audio)
Definition of strugglenext
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

struggle

2 of 2

noun

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 battle
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 rivalry
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
Verb
El Sayed has struggled to win over black voters in his race against his opponent Mike Rogers (R-MI). — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026 The show, which launched in 2013 and ran for four seasons, stars Fielder, using his (real) business degree to help (also real) struggling small businesses. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
The ad, which circulated on social media late Monday, shows Acton's long-estranged mother, Donna Arthur, saying that her daughter has lied about her past and her struggles growing up. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Warfield, for her part, is passionate about the resulting blend, which mixes life-or-death struggles with minor squabbles and humanizes the insular world of the upper crust. — Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for struggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggle
  1. stumble
  2. strive
  3. fight
  4. battle
  5. rivalry
  6. labor
  7. effort
  8. clash
Verb
  • There was upset after upset, and a few teams were on the verge of stumbling as well.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Next week will bring major risks for a stock market that's trying to find its footing as the AI trade continues to stumble, with several megacap earnings, a Federal Reserve meeting and a key inflation report in store.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Filmed largely on the doctors’ phones, the film offers an intimate account of the people striving to preserve life amid a devastating humanitarian crisis.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Are these trends in direct conversation with the rise in weight loss medications, as luxury customers strive to show off their new bodies?
    — Rachael Akhidenor, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of strive
Noun
  • The film follows Jiwa, a father who sacrifices everything in a fight to save Juna, his son, who has blood cancer.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The confrontation escalated into a fight that left both tourists injured.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of fight
Noun
  • The leader, facing a tough re-election battle, has focused much of his campaign ahead of Tuesday’s vote on security.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
  • By focusing on the battles fought in luxury department stores, fashion shows, high-end spas, nail salons, and the home, the film illustrated just how limited even privileged women’s options were.
    — Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • The Jets have the home-field advantage in the rivalry game and have more experienced veterans on the roster while in the second year of coach Glenn’s regime, as Miami is in its first year under coach Jeff Hafley.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • An in-state rivalry between two California teams tips off tonight.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of rivalry
Verb
  • Democratic politicians, bureaucrats and labor leaders, once rabble-rousers like Bass who nowadays seem to exist mostly to keep their sinecure, have labored mightily to convince unbelieving voters that Bass deserves another shot.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The circumstances of Saint Michael’s help while the pilgrim labored and delivered in the ocean were markedly different from those in the miracle ascribed to the Virgin.
    — Ellen O’Connell Whittet, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • The $60 million ceiling covers a three-year development effort, but the announcement does not establish a final procurement value.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Over the past two months, amid efforts to find what could be more than $20 billion to recapitalize insurance funds, Walter has sold his controlling interest in the Lakers and a minority share of Chelsea, the English Premier League club.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • But any Republican looking for the nomination to succeed Trump will have to sidestep the same sort of internal clashes over Israel that have bedeviled Democrats.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In Spain, the unrest was largely concentrated in Barcelona, unlike France, where protests and clashes spread across multiple cities.
    — Amanda Macias, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of clash

Browse Nearby Words

structuring
struggle
struggled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/struggle. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All