Definition of struggle in English:

struggle

verb

[no object]

1Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction.
‘before she could struggle, he lifted her up’
with infinitive ‘he struggled to break free’
- ‘Alarmed, Darlene lurched forward, struggling to break free, but it was no use.’
- ‘Kicking and thrashing, Jennifer desperately struggled to break free.’
- ‘He struggled to break free, and the pair stumbled across the room and up against the bureau.’
- ‘Meanwhile, the drunken man on the other side of the room was struggling to break free of the flimsy curtain that separated us.’
- ‘Startled, Peter struggled to break free, but suddenly there were knives all around him and he was held down.’
- ‘It had a particularly ‘jack-in-the box’ sound to it, in which each note seemed to struggle to break free.’
- ‘Sami shouted, struggling to break free of Rowan's spell.’
- ‘Jerry gurgled, struggling to break free of Tiamat's grip.’
- ‘It growled in pain, its body struggling to break free.’
- ‘The frigate was struggling to break free, but with it's destroyed engine and other damage, it wasn't much of a fight.’
- ‘Eric was struggling to break free, each gesture binding him tighter and tighter, squeezing his ribs and his frail arm.’
- ‘I knew what he was going to do and I screamed, struggling to break free.’
- ‘They soon came to a small, ramshackle village and dismounted, Mishana struggling violently to be free.’
- ‘Rachel yelled in frustration, violently struggling to free herself from Todd's firm hold.’
- ‘Adrian yelled, struggling to break free but Dennis was too strong for him.’
- ‘She was still struggling to break free from its hold but was failing miserably.’
- ‘We get the image of a man's face struggling to break free of what appears to be some sort of womb.’
- ‘Rebecca struggled to break free but he was hurting her.’
- ‘She caught his shoulders, but she began to struggle under his weight.’
- ‘She struggled for breath as she fainted and fell to the ground, motionless.’
fight, grapple, wrestle, scuffle, brawl, spar, exchange blows, come to blows
View synonyms
1. 1.1Engage in conflict.
  ‘politicians continued to struggle over familiar issues’
  ‘This shift in rodeo queen criteria did not sit well with women who struggled to continue competing in rodeo.’
  ‘Mass marketers continue to struggle against thick competition from department store and specialty brands.’
  ‘Retailers continuing to struggle amidst intense competition, a slowing economy and low inflation.’
  ‘These shifts did not occur without inner turmoil and conflict, and many fractions continue to struggle within the party today.’
  ‘It smacks more of a fragmented nation struggling to reconcile the conflicting agendas of disparate racial groups.’
  ‘He's reviewing whether he can continue to provide his employees' benefits as he struggles to compete.’
  ‘The network's chairman announces his departure as CNN continues to struggle in the cable ratings war.’
  ‘These groups, despite the brutal opposition of the state, continue to struggle against corrupt and repressive regimes.’
  ‘Mark Bahnisch continues to struggle valiantly against his blogging addiction, but with less than complete success.’
  ‘Indigenous people around the world continue to struggle against the exploitation of their land and resources.’
  ‘Why not take advantage of some opportunities that may not be there if Wie does continue to struggle against the men?’
  ‘Shops in the town continually have to struggle against fierce competition from bigger centres.’
  ‘It was probably the worst time to begin and the country has continued to struggle to this day.’
  ‘He continued to struggle when other officers arrived but was eventually arrested.’
  ‘Jessica screams as she looks into Stephanie's deadly eyes and the two women struggle desperately for survival.’
  ‘She struggled vainly to get away, but eventually gave up.’
  ‘I was the assistant captain, so I struggled with him, and managed to throw him on to the ice.’
  compete, contend, contest, vie, fight, battle, clash, wrangle, jockey, lock horns, cross swords, war, wage war, feud
  View synonyms
2. 1.2Strive to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance.
  ‘new authors are struggling in the present climate’
  ‘many families on income support have to struggle to make ends meet’
  ‘Most of their batsmen are still struggling to cope with the New Zealand pace attack.’
  ‘He was struggling mightily at the plate in the play-offs and appeared out of sorts.’
  ‘The US $183 million Yankees are struggling mightily at the plate, leaving their fans restless.’
  ‘They said they were already struggling to cope with the 6,500 people on their books.’
  ‘He and his board have struggled valiantly to keep the club going, despite facing major obstacles.’
  ‘Fordyce has struggled offensively all season but is signed for two more years.’
  ‘Both she and Hope were desperately struggling to keep a straight face.’
  ‘The loss to Tranmere was excusable, but two defeats to teams struggling to survive is very disappointing.’
  ‘The woman struggled to her feet when there was a loud creaking sound.’
  ‘Many ordinary men and women struggle hard to achieve more equality in their lives.’
  ‘Both sides struggled to find a route to goal in the second half.’
  ‘With a new manager the side has struggled to find the highs of recent seasons.’
  ‘The former dairy worker is struggling to get much enthusiasm from fellow tenants.’
  ‘The Italian economy is struggling under a burden of recession, rising inflation, and high government debt.’
  ‘The city struggled for the survival of its body as well as its soul.’
  ‘He struggled at the plate and needs to regain his confidence.’
  ‘But he struggled with injuries for much of the season and missed four games.’
  ‘The homesters struggled against some very tidy bowling and were dismissed for 89.’
  ‘His gait was bent and he was struggling against all odds just to keep himself going.’
  ‘Tibetan culture is also struggling against these odds, merely to survive.’
  strive, try hard, endeavour, make every effort, spare no effort, exert oneself, do one's best, do all one can, do one's utmost, battle, labour, toil, strain, bend over backwards, put oneself out
  View synonyms
3. 1.3struggle withHave difficulty handling or coping with.
  ‘passengers struggle with bags and briefcases’
  ‘In light of this, it was a shame to learn that the resort is struggling with financial difficulties.’
  ‘Nevertheless, even she struggled with some of the difficulties posed by the system.’
  ‘She struggled with the handle before swinging the door open, diving in and slamming it shut again.’
  ‘I wonder if you could spare a thought this week for these people as they struggle with their present difficulties.’
  ‘It is evident that the Ericsson services business was struggling with similar sorts of issues.’
  ‘In a climate where it seems other politicians struggle with that acceptance, it's a refreshing change.’
  ‘Many people struggle with managing their time and trying to achieve everything they want to throughout the day.’
  ‘The former world number one is still struggling with a stomach strain.’
  ‘He was the person his colleagues turned to when they were struggling with difficult clinical problems.’
  ‘Family and friends knew all about my struggles with domestic management and parenting, my daytime naps, and early nights.’
4. 1.4no object, with adverbial of direction Make one's way with difficulty.
  ‘it took us all day to struggle back to our bivouac’
  scramble, flounder, stumble
  View synonyms

noun

1A forceful or violent effort to get free of restraint or resist attack.
‘there were signs of a struggle and there was a lot of blood around’
- ‘Ambulance chiefs today condemned a teenager who assaulted a senior paramedic and a policeman during a violent struggle in York.’
- ‘In a violent struggle, Bourgass stabbed police officer Stephen Oake to death and wounded three others as he tried to escape.’
- ‘America's wars and violent struggles are always fought with goals of preventing future terror attacks and saving lives.’
- ‘After a violent struggle Seek manages to get free from their grasp.’
- ‘The manager of a mini-supermarket ended up in a violent struggle after confronting a thief, a court heard.’
- ‘After a violent struggle, he managed to restrain Vita on the ground until back-up arrived.’
- ‘They eventually arrested him despite his violent struggles.’
- ‘A 22-year-old man who bit an elderly petrol station worker on the shoulder during a violent struggle has been jailed by a judge for two years.’
- ‘Detectives are still investigating that possibility but believe much of the damage to the house was caused during the violent struggle.’
- ‘Within about 15 minutes neighbours heard voices and banging on the walls sounding like a violent struggle was taking place.’
- ‘When he and the shop-keeper returned to the tree, the bird lay on the ground, dead from her wild struggle to free herself.’
- ‘One victim suffered severe bruising during a violent struggle before the robbers escaped with £13,000.’
- ‘He said the wounds suggested a violent struggle and that bruising to Mrs Mace's neck suggested an attempt at manual strangulation.’
- ‘There was a stand-off, before the officers used CS gas on the man and after a violent struggle, he was subdued and arrested.’
- ‘His struggles to free himself were again fruitless.’
- ‘She was embedded in the mud right up to the points of her shoulders, and she was exhausted from her struggles to free herself.’
- ‘His feet were concealed within a thick layer of ice that seemed not to budge with his most violent struggles.’
- ‘The Bata workers' struggle erupted amid developing unrest throughout Sri Lanka.’
- ‘They then asked for money and again the boys refused and a struggle ensued.’
- ‘The lesser struggle is the physical struggle of self-defence.’
fight, scuffle, brawl, tussle, wrestling match, sparring match, wrestling bout, bout, skirmish, fracas, melee, affray, encounter, disturbance, breach of the peace
View synonyms
1. 1.1A conflict or contest.
  ‘a power struggle for the leadership’
  ‘With little room for compromise the stage is set for a bitter internal factional struggle.’
  ‘The sad truth is that the man who vows to continue the armed struggle is likely to prevail.’
  ‘His heroes were all engaged in titanic struggles for survival, with defeat always a possibility.’
  ‘But it is not clear whether the ongoing political struggles are shadow boxing or part of a real contest.’
  ‘It marked the beginning of what has turned out to be a protracted political struggle.’
  ‘Conflict in Angola flared up in the 1960s during the liberation struggle against Portuguese colonial domination.’
  ‘He abandoned his studies in 1930 and joined the freedom struggle.’
  ‘The defence of democratic rights is inseparably bound up with the struggle for socialism.’
  ‘Our lives are an eternal struggle between opposing forces.’
  ‘A basic preoccupation of science fiction is the often troubled relationship between humanity and other life-forms and, by extension, the role played by technology in the struggle for power and control.’
  conflict, fight, battle, armed conflict, combat, confrontation, clash, skirmish, encounter, engagement
  contest, competition, battle, fight, clash, feud
  View synonyms
2. 1.2A determined effort under difficulties.
  ‘with a struggle, she pulled the pram up the slope’
  ‘the centre is the result of the scientists' struggle to realize their dream’
  ‘At the same time, their determined struggle against adversity is a source of inspiration for all of us.’
  ‘This would, however, require a determined struggle, relying on Senate filibusters and similar tactics.’
  ‘Social reforms alongside a determined struggle for liberation will lead us towards democracy and independence.’
  ‘People were largely caught up in the desperate daily struggle for survival.’
  ‘Pushing through the proposed reforms has been an uphill struggle from the start.’
  ‘The panelists urged the youth to continue the struggle for equality and justice.’
  ‘You're surely not suggesting that women should abandon their struggle for equality to stay home and mix formula instead?’
  ‘In contrast, deported refugees face a struggle for their very existence.’
  ‘Chavez, who led the struggle for social justice for migrant farm workers, died in 1993.’
  ‘The advent of the female birth control pill greatly aided women's struggle for autonomy and fulfillment.’
  ‘We might feel ambivalent about picking up a book about a woman's struggle with breast cancer.’
  ‘Consequently, the struggles for self-determination took various forms as independence to greater autonomy.’
  ‘We acknowledge the support of the Australian people, and other countries, in our struggle for self-determination.’
  ‘It's a daily struggle for not only physical survival, but mental endurance and a lingering hope that their story will be heard.’
  ‘We never once see any internal struggle in his physically compromised position.’
  ‘Thus, the fight against sweatshops is defined in this context as a struggle for physical improvement of workplaces.’
  ‘But on a deeper level they meant to frame labor's struggle as an effort to secure human rights.’
  ‘For the past 50 years, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people have embarked on a non-violent struggle to free Tibet from its oppressors.’
  ‘Over 200 child labourers from 55 countries gathered to share experiences of their struggle to create a free world for children.’
  ‘Theirs is a just struggle to free their country from tyranny.’
  ‘Socialists who stressed the struggle of the poor, like the poet Attila József, were a minority voice.’
  endeavour, striving, effort, exertion, labour, work, toiling, pains
  View synonyms
3. 1.3A very difficult task.
  ‘it was a struggle to make herself understood’
  ‘And such struggles become difficult if not impossible when workers do not have a minimum security of tenure.’
  ‘I think it's going to be a difficult struggle, definitely.’
  ‘It has been a difficult struggle for a group which began life without two farthings to rub together.’
  ‘And, the only certainty in this journey is that this will be our most difficult of struggles.’
  ‘And becoming good moreover requires a difficult struggle for self-mastery, just like any form of training.’
  ‘It's a factor that Martel will almost certainly have to contend with in the future, a struggle almost as difficult as that facing Alonso.’
  ‘It was a difficult struggle, but she managed to hold it in.’
  ‘We heard of the struggle of the pastoral counselor, poorly equipped for the task at hand, and yet pushed to provide more pastoral care.’
  ‘The show is littered with these moments as human interacts with apparatus in a physical struggle.’
  effort, labour, problem, trial, trouble, stress, strain, bother, battle
  View synonyms

Phrases

the struggle for existence (or life)

The competition between organisms, especially as an element in natural selection, or between people seeking a livelihood.
‘every adaptation had to offer an advantage to the organism in the struggle for existence’
- ‘War was natural among humans because it was an instance of the struggle for existence.’
- ‘Nature, in Darwin's view, did the same thing through the struggle for existence: he called it ‘natural selection.’’
- ‘Once again the magic words ‘natural selection’ do not appear, but the struggle for existence with the stronger winning is very clear.’
- ‘By the time of his death in 2001 at age 12, he had become, in Nelson Mandela's words, ‘an icon of the struggle for life.’’
- ‘Slowly however, her senses were beginning to stray from her and Sydney was finding it increasingly difficult to win the struggle for life.’
- ‘Indeed, ‘in the struggle for life, a taste for truth is a luxury’, even a ‘disability’.’
- ‘Life in one form or another is very plentiful in the pack, and the struggle for existence here as elsewhere is a fascinating subject of study.’
- ‘Carroll's crocodile, all tooth and claw, signifies other things: amorality, the struggle for existence, predation of the weaker by the stronger.’
- ‘They lost out in the struggle for existence and produced no offspring.’
- ‘The assurance of gain, or the expectation of it in the future, is the rallying point in the struggle for existence.’