Meaning & use
struggles
Last updated
“struggles” is a form of “struggle”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Difficult efforts to do something or to deal with a problem over time.
Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is 'struggle'. Use 'struggles' for more than one, or in fixed phrases like 'the struggles of life'.
Patterns
- struggles with something
- struggles against something
- struggles for something
After years of financial struggles, the family finally felt secure.
Her daily struggles with chronic pain made it hard to keep a job.
The book describes the struggles of immigrants in a new country.
verbintransitive
Tries very hard to do something difficult, often with little success.
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'with', 'to', or 'against': 'He struggles with math.' 'She struggles to pay rent.'
Patterns
- struggle with something
- struggle to do something
- struggle against something
He struggles to wake up before noon on weekends.
Many small businesses struggle during a recession.
She struggles with anxiety before every exam.
Word forms
| base form | struggle |
|---|---|
| third person singular | struggles |
| past tense | struggled |
| past participle | struggled |
| -ing form | struggling |
Common combinations
- struggle with
- She struggles with the new software.
- struggle to
- He struggles to find time for hobbies.
- struggle against
- The team struggled against a stronger opponent.
- financial struggles
- The company faced financial struggles last year.
- daily struggles
- Daily struggles can wear you down.
Synonyms and how they differ
- difficulties
- More general; 'difficulties' can be small problems, while 'struggles' suggests ongoing effort and emotional weight.
- efforts
- Focuses on trying; 'struggles' adds a sense of hardship or opposition.
- battles
- Stronger and more dramatic; often used for personal or social fights, not everyday tasks.
Opposites
Word family
- struggle noun
- A single difficult effort or problem.
- struggling adjective
- Having a hard time; not doing well.
- struggler noun
- A person who struggles.
Commonly confused: struggles or struggles?
struggles vs struggles
Don't confuse with 'snuggles' (cuddles) or 'straggles' (spreads out untidily).
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Struggle with' is the correct pattern for a thing that causes difficulty. 'Struggle to' needs a verb (e.g. 'struggle to learn'), and 'struggle on' means continue with difficulty, not deal with a specific thing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “struggles”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.