struggle
struggle
(strʌgəl )Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense struggles , present participle struggling , past tense, past participle struggled
1. verb
If you struggle to do something, you try hard to do it, even though other people or things may be making it difficult for you to succeed.
They had to struggle against all kinds of adversity. [VERB preposition]
Those who have lost their jobs struggle to pay their supermarket bills. [VERB to-infinitive]
[Also VERB]2. variable noun [NOUN to-infinitive]
3. verb
4. verb
If two people struggle with each other, they fight.
She screamed at him to 'stop it' as they struggled on the ground. [VERB]
We were struggling for the gun when it went off! [pl-n V for n]
There were signs that she struggled with her attacker. [VERB + with]
5. verb
I could see the young boy struggling to free himself. [VERB to-infinitive]
I struggled with my bags, desperately looking for a porter. [VERB preposition]
6. verb
The pilot struggled out of the wreck almost uninjured. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Catherine struggled to her feet. [VERB preposition/adverb]
I struggled into a bathrobe and staggered down the stairs. [VERB preposition/adverb]
7. verb [only cont]
If a person or organization is struggling, they are likely to fail in what they are doing, even though they might be trying very hard.
The company is struggling to find buyers for its new product. [VERB to-infinitive]
One in five young adults was struggling with everyday mathematics. [VERB preposition]
By the 1960s, many shipyards were struggling. [VERB]
8. singular noun
An action or activity that is a struggle is very difficult to do.
Losing weight was a terrible struggle.
Phrasal verbs:
