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
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
Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Why is Skype Shutting Down? Skype, which Microsoft acquired for $8.5 billion back in 2011, has struggled to maintain relevance in the face of competition from apps like Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
At that point, Zelenskyy interjected, bringing up the struggles his country has faced over the last decade, prompting Vance and Trump to shout at the Ukrainian president.
—Molly Nagle, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
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Verb
And that excludes the knock on effects that might ensue The aerospace industry, and Boeing in particular, has been struggling for the past five years to shore up its fragile supply chain in the wake of the pandemic shutdown and multiple quality issues.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Why is Skype Shutting Down? Skype, which Microsoft acquired for $8.5 billion back in 2011, has struggled to maintain relevance in the face of competition from apps like Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
What To Know The pope has faced ongoing health struggles which have sparked speculation about decisions by the Catholic Church on the upcoming Easter celebrations.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
At that point, Zelenskyy interjected, bringing up the struggles his country has faced over the last decade, prompting Vance and Trump to shout at the Ukrainian president.
—Molly Nagle, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for struggle
Cite this Entry
“Struggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/struggle. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
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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