Struggle

noun / verb

Base: struggle | Past: struggled | Past Participle: struggled | -ing: struggling | 3rd person: struggles

Frequency

High

CEFR Level

Neutral

Domain

Effort

Definition

1. To try extremely hard to do something difficult.
2. To fight someone physically, especially to escape.
3. To move somewhere with great difficulty.
4. To be likely to fail or have serious difficulty succeeding.
5. A very difficult task requiring great effort.
6. A physical fight.
7. A long effort to achieve something important like freedom or rights.

Context Alive

The single mother worked two jobs and barely slept. Every day was a struggle to keep food on the table and pay the bills on time. But she never complained — she just kept going for her kids.

Meanings

7 meanings

1 To Try Extremely Hard to Do Something Difficult (Verb) Very Common ▼

This meaning is about putting in enormous effort when something is really hard. Imagine a student sitting at their desk late at night, struggling to understand a complicated math problem — they keep trying, reading it again and again, refusing to give up. This is struggling — pushing through difficulty with everything you’ve got. You might say “I’m struggling with this project” or someone could mention “she struggled to find a job for months.” Or picture someone learning to swim, struggling to keep their head above water during their first lessons. The word carries a sense of real effort against something that resists you. ✏️ “Struggle with” and “struggle to” are the most common patterns — “I’m struggling with English” or “I struggled to finish on time.”

Vivid Example

The new teacher sat in the staff room feeling completely overwhelmed. She was struggling to manage thirty energetic teenagers in every class. But each week got a little easier, and soon she found her rhythm.

2 To Fight Someone Physically, Especially to Escape (Verb) Common ▼

This meaning is about physically fighting against someone who is holding you or attacking you. Imagine a woman walking home at night when someone grabs her bag. She struggles with the thief, pulling and twisting, refusing to let go. This is struggling — using your body to fight, resist, or break free. You might hear “she struggled to free herself” or “he struggled with the attacker until help arrived.” Or picture a child being carried to bed who doesn’t want to go — they kick and struggle in their parent’s arms. The word suggests desperate physical resistance. ✏️ This often appears in crime reports and news — “the victim struggled with the intruder before escaping.”

Vivid Example

The dog panicked when the vet tried to give it an injection. It struggled wildly in the nurse’s arms, kicking and twisting. Eventually they wrapped it in a blanket to keep it still.

3 To Move Somewhere with Great Difficulty (Verb) Common ▼

This meaning is about moving from one place to another when it takes enormous physical effort. Imagine an elderly man trying to get out of a deep, soft sofa. He pushes, shifts his weight, and struggles to his feet, taking a full minute just to stand up. This is struggling — every movement feels like a battle. You might say “we struggled up the hill in the snow” or “she struggled out of her heavy coat.” Or think about hikers struggling through thick mud on a forest trail, each step taking twice the normal effort. The word paints a picture of slow, exhausting movement. ✏️ Common patterns include “struggle up,” “struggle out of,” and “struggle through” — they all show difficult movement in a direction.

Vivid Example

The backpackers hadn’t expected the trail to be so steep. They struggled up the rocky path for over an hour, stopping every few minutes to catch their breath. By the time they reached the top, their legs were shaking.

4 To Be Likely to Fail or Have Serious Difficulty Succeeding (Verb) Common ▼

This meaning is about being in a situation where failure is very possible — things are not going well at all. Imagine a small restaurant that opened last year. There are barely any customers, the bills keep piling up, and the owner is struggling just to stay open. This is struggling — being in real danger of failing. You might hear “the company has been struggling all year” or “a struggling business can’t afford to make mistakes.” Or think about a football team that keeps losing — they’re struggling at the bottom of the league. The word suggests someone or something is barely surviving. ✏️ “A struggling artist” or “a struggling business” describes someone who hasn’t found success yet but keeps trying.

Vivid Example

The bookshop had been a neighbourhood favourite for decades. But with online shopping taking over, the owner was struggling to keep the doors open. She started hosting events and book clubs, hoping it would bring people back.

5 A Very Difficult Task Requiring Great Effort (Noun) Very Common ▼

This meaning is about describing something as extremely hard to do — it takes everything you’ve got. Imagine you’ve just moved to a new country. You don’t speak the language, you don’t know anyone, and even buying groceries is a struggle because you can’t read the labels. This is calling something a struggle — it’s not impossible, but it drains you. You might say “it was a real struggle to finish on time” or “getting up early is always a struggle for me.” Or think about someone recovering from surgery, where even walking to the kitchen is a struggle. The word suggests something that takes far more effort than it should. ✏️ “It’s a struggle” is a very natural phrase in everyday English — people use it to describe anything from dieting to studying.

Vivid Example

After the accident, even the simplest daily tasks became different. Getting dressed in the morning was a struggle that took three times longer than before. But with each passing week, things slowly got a little easier.

6 A Physical Fight Between People (Noun) Common ▼

This meaning is about an actual physical fight — two or more people pushing, grabbing, and fighting each other. Imagine two men arguing outside a bar. Suddenly one grabs the other’s jacket, and a struggle breaks out right there on the pavement. This is a struggle — a rough, physical confrontation. You might hear “a man was injured in a struggle outside the club” or “the gun went off during the struggle.” Or picture security guards involved in a struggle with someone trying to break into a building. The word suggests a messy, intense physical fight — not a clean boxing match. ✏️ “Without a struggle” means someone gave up easily — “he was arrested without a struggle” means he didn’t fight back.

Vivid Example

The security cameras showed everything clearly. There had been a brief struggle near the entrance before the suspect ran away. Police used the footage to identify him within hours.

7 A Long Effort to Achieve Something Important (Noun) Common ▼

This meaning is about a long, determined fight to achieve something meaningful — like freedom, rights, or justice. Imagine a country that has been under foreign control for decades. The people organise, protest, and sacrifice everything in their struggle for independence. This is using struggle for a big, important cause that takes years of effort. You might hear “the struggle for equality is far from over” or “her whole life was a struggle against injustice.” Or think about workers fighting for better pay and conditions — their struggle for fair wages. The word carries weight and seriousness — this isn’t about small problems. ✏️ “Power struggle” is a very common expression — it means two people or groups fighting to control the same thing.

Vivid Example

The documentary told the story of ordinary people who changed history. Their struggle for civil rights lasted decades and cost many of them everything. But in the end, the laws changed because they refused to be silent.

Examples from the Street

“I’ve been struggling to sleep lately — my mind just won’t switch off.”

I’ve been finding it really difficult to fall asleep recently — my brain won’t stop racing

“It was a real struggle to get through the month on that salary.”

It was genuinely hard to survive financially until the end of the month on that pay

“She struggled for years before her business finally took off.”

She went through a long, difficult period before her company eventually became successful

Common Patterns

struggle to do something → find it very hard to do something

struggle with something → have ongoing difficulty dealing with something

really/seriously struggling → having a very hard time with something

struggle to cope/keep up/understand → find it difficult to manage, maintain pace, or comprehend

struggle to make ends meet → find it hard to earn enough money to cover basic expenses

struggling financially/academically/emotionally → experiencing ongoing difficulty in a specific area

a struggle for something (freedom/survival/power) → a prolonged fight to achieve or protect something important

a struggle against something (injustice/poverty/disease) → a long effort to overcome a negative force

a power/political struggle → a conflict between people or groups competing for control

a constant/daily/uphill struggle → an ongoing, exhausting effort that never seems to get easier

struggle to your feet → get up with great physical difficulty

a struggle (with someone) → a physical fight, usually at close range

a violent struggle → an aggressive physical confrontation

signs of a struggle → evidence that a physical fight took place

without a struggle → without resisting or fighting back

Collocations

4 collocations

daily struggle

a fight that happens every day

struggle to survive

fight to stay alive

power struggle

a fight for control between people

struggle with

have difficulty dealing with something

Example Sentences

12 examples

I’ve been struggling to concentrate at work ever since they moved us to the open-plan office

I’ve been finding it extremely hard to focus on my tasks ever since they relocated us to the shared workspace with no walls.

A lot of families are struggling to make ends meet with the rising cost of living

Many households are finding it very difficult to cover their basic expenses because everything is becoming more expensive.

He struggles with anxiety, but he’s learning to manage it better with professional support

He experiences ongoing difficulty with nervousness and worry, but he’s getting better at handling it with the help of a trained specialist.

The charity has been part of the struggle against homelessness in this city for over twenty years

The non-profit organisation has been involved in the long fight to tackle the problem of people living on the streets for more than two decades.

It was an uphill struggle to convince the board, but we eventually got approval for the project

It was an exhausting and difficult effort to persuade the directors, but we finally received permission to go ahead with the work.

She struggled to her feet after the fall and insisted she was fine

She got up with great physical difficulty after falling over and claimed nothing was wrong with her.

Police said there were signs of a struggle inside the flat, but no one was found at the scene

Officers reported that there was evidence of a physical fight inside the apartment, but nobody was discovered at the location.

The suspect was arrested without a struggle outside the shopping centre

The person suspected of the crime was detained without putting up any resistance outside the retail complex.

She really struggled in her first year at university but came back stronger in the second

She had an extremely difficult time during her initial twelve months of higher education but returned with much more confidence and ability in the following year.

The power struggle between the two directors was tearing the company apart

The conflict for control between the two senior leaders was destroying the organisation from within.

Learner Examples

★

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The majority of learners find it very difficult to produce English sounds correctly at the beginning, but regular everyday repetition creates noticeable improvement gradually.

★

Learning a language is an uphill struggle at times, but the moment you hold your first real conversation, every difficult hour feels worth it

Acquiring a new language is an exhausting and demanding effort at certain points, but the instant you manage your first genuine spoken exchange, all the hard work feels justified.