Struggle means to make a great effort to overcome difficulty or achieve something challenging.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Effortfully dealing with difficulty.
- Requires great physical or mental exertion.
- Used with 'with', 'against', 'for', or 'to do'.
**Overview**
The word 'struggle' describes a situation where someone is facing significant difficulty or making a great effort to achieve something. It implies a lack of ease and often involves physical or mental exertion against obstacles. The core idea is effortful engagement with a challenge.
**Usage Patterns**
'Struggle' is commonly used with prepositions like 'with', 'against', or 'for'. We often say someone 'struggles with' a task, a problem, or a feeling. 'Struggling against' implies opposition to an external force or situation, while 'struggling for' suggests a fight or effort to obtain something, like 'struggling for survival'. It can also be used transitively, like 'to struggle to do something', indicating difficulty in completing an action.
**Common Contexts**
This word appears in many everyday situations. People might struggle with homework, a difficult conversation, or a physical challenge like climbing a steep hill. In a more abstract sense, individuals can struggle with their emotions, a disease, or financial problems. News reports often discuss countries or economies struggling against hardship. In academic settings, students might struggle to grasp a complex theory.
**Similar Words Comparison**:
- Difficult: 'Difficult' is an adjective describing something that requires a lot of effort. 'Struggle' is a verb describing the act of making that effort. You might find a task 'difficult', and as a result, you 'struggle' to complete it.
- Hardship: 'Hardship' is a noun referring to a state of suffering or difficulty, often due to poverty or misfortune. One might 'struggle' due to 'hardship'.
- Battle: 'Battle' implies a more direct and often prolonged conflict, usually against an opponent or a significant problem. 'Struggle' can be part of a 'battle', but 'struggle' itself can also refer to a more personal or internal effort without a clear antagonist.
Examples
He had to struggle to lift the heavy box.
everydayHắn đã phải vật lộn để nhấc chiếc hộp nặng.
Many developing countries struggle with poverty and lack of resources.
formalNhiều nước đang phát triển phải vật lộn với đói nghèo và thiếu thốn tài nguyên.
I'm really struggling to keep my eyes open; I'm so tired.
informalTôi thực sự cố gắng để mở mắt; tôi mệt quá.
Researchers often struggle to secure adequate funding for their projects.
academicCác nhà nghiên cứu thường phải vật lộn để đảm bảo nguồn tài trợ đầy đủ cho các dự án của họ.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
a struggle for survival
cuộc đấu tranh sinh tồn
a struggle for power
cuộc tranh giành quyền lực
struggling artist
nghệ sĩ đang gặp khó khăn
Often Confused With
'Strive' means to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something, often with a focus on ambition and progress. 'Struggle' emphasizes the difficulty and obstacles encountered during the effort, often implying a more challenging or less successful attempt.
'Wrestle' primarily refers to a physical act of grappling and trying to throw or defeat an opponent. While it can be used metaphorically for intense mental or emotional conflict ('wrestling with a decision'), 'struggle' is a more general term for facing difficulty.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The word 'struggle' is very common and can be used in both spoken and written English. It generally implies a significant level of difficulty. While it can describe intense physical effort, it is very frequently used for abstract challenges like emotional, financial, or intellectual difficulties.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 'struggle' when a simpler word like 'try' or 'find difficult' would suffice. Overuse can make descriptions sound overly dramatic. Also, ensure the correct preposition is used: 'struggle with' for problems, 'struggle to' for actions.
Tips
Visualize the effort
Think of 'struggle' as showing the physical or mental 'fight' against a problem. This helps remember the effort involved.
Don't confuse with 'strive'
'Strive' means to make efforts towards a goal, often with a sense of ambition. 'Struggle' emphasizes the difficulty and obstacles more strongly.
The 'American Dream' narrative
The idea of 'struggling' your way up from poverty to success is a common theme in American culture, highlighting resilience and hard work.
Word Origin
The word 'struggle' comes from Middle English 'struglen', likely related to 'strowen' (to strew or scatter) or 'struken' (to strike). It originally meant to stagger or stumble, evolving to mean to contend or make a great effort.
Cultural Context
In many cultures, particularly Western ones, overcoming personal struggles is often seen as a sign of strength and character. Stories of individuals or groups struggling against adversity and eventually succeeding are common in literature, film, and historical accounts.
Memory Tip
Imagine someone physically 'pulling' and 'straining' against a heavy weight. This image captures the effort and difficulty inherent in the word 'struggle'.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions'Try' means to make an attempt. 'Struggle' implies that the attempt is difficult and requires significant effort due to obstacles.
Yes, absolutely. You can struggle to lift a heavy object, struggle to climb a mountain, or struggle to swim against a strong current.
It's often used to describe internal difficulties, such as someone struggling with anxiety, depression, or addiction. It highlights the internal effort to cope or recover.
While it describes difficulty, overcoming a struggle can lead to growth and resilience. It's not inherently negative, but rather describes a challenging process.
Test Yourself
She had to ___ to open the old, jammed window.
The sentence implies difficulty and physical effort required to open the window, making 'struggle' the most appropriate word.
Which sentence best describes a struggle?
This option clearly indicates difficulty and effort in the face of a challenging market, which is the essence of 'struggle'.
build a sentence using: 'with', 'a', 'she', 'difficulties', 'financial', 'is', 'struggling'
This sentence correctly uses 'struggling with' to describe facing problems.
Score: /3
Summary
Struggle means to make a great effort to overcome difficulty or achieve something challenging.
- Effortfully dealing with difficulty.
- Requires great physical or mental exertion.
- Used with 'with', 'against', 'for', or 'to do'.
Visualize the effort
Think of 'struggle' as showing the physical or mental 'fight' against a problem. This helps remember the effort involved.
Don't confuse with 'strive'
'Strive' means to make efforts towards a goal, often with a sense of ambition. 'Struggle' emphasizes the difficulty and obstacles more strongly.
The 'American Dream' narrative
The idea of 'struggling' your way up from poverty to success is a common theme in American culture, highlighting resilience and hard work.
Examples
4 of 4He had to struggle to lift the heavy box.
Hắn đã phải vật lộn để nhấc chiếc hộp nặng.
Many developing countries struggle with poverty and lack of resources.
Nhiều nước đang phát triển phải vật lộn với đói nghèo và thiếu thốn tài nguyên.
I'm really struggling to keep my eyes open; I'm so tired.
Tôi thực sự cố gắng để mở mắt; tôi mệt quá.
Researchers often struggle to secure adequate funding for their projects.
Các nhà nghiên cứu thường phải vật lộn để đảm bảo nguồn tài trợ đầy đủ cho các dự án của họ.
Related Content
Learn it in Context
This Word in Other Languages
Related Vocabulary
The physical or mental energy that you use to do something,...
adversityAdversity refers to a state of serious or continued difficul...
challengeTo question the validity, truth, or authority of something,...
fightTo take part in a violent struggle involving physical force...
difficultyThe state or condition of being difficult; a problem.
