struggle

About 41.95 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun An effortful attempt to escape something dangerous, usually out of fear for one's life or health.
2. noun Strife, contention, great effort.
3. verb To strive, to labour in difficulty, to fight (for or against), to contend.

   During the centuries, the people of Ireland struggled constantly to assert their right to govern themselves.

4. verb To have difficulty with something.

   One of the doctor’s patients struggled with depression.

5. verb To strive, or to make efforts, with a twisting, or with contortions of the body.

   She struggled to escape from her assailant's grasp.

Similar words

scramble battle fight conflict clamber shinny sputter skin shin brawl

Often followed by

for to against with between of in and was

Word family

struggled struggler strugglers struggles struggling