STRUGGLED Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

struggled

verb

past tense of struggle

as in stumbled

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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as in labored

to devote serious and sustained effort the financially strapped couple struggled to make ends meet

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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 struggled The 3-3 Knights have struggled in the Big 12 since joining the conference, but tend to be better at home in the friendly confines of the Acrisure Bounce House. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 The shift signals a turning point for the left, which has historically struggled to counter the far-right’s dominant online presence and savvy digital strategy. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Lula has struggled to reconcile his party’s traditional positions with demands for tougher action. — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 Head coach Dave Canales said the team struggled in all three phases, and that errors put them in too deep a deficit. — Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026 Outlets like Rest of World, that rely on expensive-to-produce stories published somewhat infrequently, have struggled. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Oct. 2026 Advertisement Ramaswamy has also struggled to navigate his identity as a Hindu and the son of immigrants from India in the modern GOP. — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026 After the raid, his daughter struggled with recurring nightmares, the lawsuit said. — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 2026 Still, Cornyn’s loss has remained an open wound for many Republicans in the state who have struggled to get over Paxton’s past scandals, said John Huffman, a former mayor of Southlake, Texas, and a Cornyn ally. — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for struggled

Verb

Russia stumbled in all three of its Phobos attempts as well as many other Mars endeavors.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.

— Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumbled

Verb

For decades, Buck and Aikman’s equally dry sense of humor worked, and there was never the slightest appearance of friction.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
Ichiyama has worked closely with Chinese-language auteurs including Hou Hsiao-hsien and Jia Zhangke, and says the mainland industry changed sharply in the mid-2000s.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of worked

Verb

Though eventually abandoned due to cost, this system of surveillance endeavored to equate producers with virtue.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Whatever people think of the film, it was endeavored to be made with purely with the process at its heart.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of endeavored

Verb

Pinch-runner Cedric Mullins replaced Caminero before DeLuca, who had made sparkling catches to deny Yelich in the third and William Contreras in the fourth, hit a grounder past the mound as Drohan tried in vain to make a behind-the-back snag.

— Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Publishing houses have tried to crack down on AI usage by authors, inserting strict clauses into book deals and leaning on Pangram to vet manuscripts.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of tried

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struggle

struggled

struggles

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

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Synonyms of struggled

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