Home Synonyms struggle

Synonyms of struggle in English:

struggle


See US English definition of struggle

See UK English definition of struggle

See Spanish definition of lucha

verb

1‘they struggled to make sense of the words’

SYNONYMS
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
informal go all out, give it one's best shot, put one's back into it, plug away, peg away
British informal graft
formal essay

2‘James was hit in the mouth as he struggled with the raiders’

SYNONYMS
fight, grapple, wrestle, scuffle, brawl, spar, exchange blows, come to blows
informal scrap
Scottish informal swedge

3‘research teams struggle to be first to the finish’

SYNONYMS
compete, contend, contest, vie, fight, battle, clash, wrangle, jockey, lock horns, cross swords, war, wage war, feud

4‘she struggled over the dunes’

SYNONYMS
scramble, flounder, stumble
make one's way with difficulty, drag oneself, battle one's way, fight one's way, battle, labour

noun

1‘the continuing struggle for justice’

SYNONYMS
endeavour, striving, effort, exertion, labour, work, toiling, pains
campaign, battle, crusade, drive, push, movement
British informal graft

2‘we were able to apprehend the gang without a struggle’

SYNONYMS
fight, scuffle, brawl, tussle, wrestling match, sparring match, wrestling bout, bout, skirmish, fracas, melee, affray, encounter, disturbance, breach of the peace
informal scrap, barney, set-to, dust-up, punch-up, ruction, free-for-all, argy-bargy
British informal bust-up, ding-dong
Scottish informal swedge

3‘a third of the population perished in the struggle’

SYNONYMS
conflict, fight, battle, armed conflict, combat, confrontation, clash, skirmish, encounter, engagement
hostilities, fighting, war, warfare, campaign, crusade

4‘an unresolved struggle within the leadership’

SYNONYMS
contest, competition, battle, fight, clash, feud
contention, vying, rivalry, strife, friction, feuding, conflict

5‘life has been a struggle for me’

SYNONYMS
effort, labour, problem, trial, trouble, stress, strain, bother, battle
informal grind, hassle, pain