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Glite Dictionary
struggling

struggling

3.9
Having trouble because of not enough money, success, or recognition
  • adjective
  • /ˈstrʌɡlɪŋ/
translation icon : en apuros
  • The family has been struggling to make ends meet since the father lost his job.

Examples

  • But Ilford School, much like others, are struggling to meet demand.

  • If something is hard and you're struggling, that's not bad.

  • You and your husband have really been struggling with his health.

  • Our countries are all poor, we're all struggling, we're all suffering.

  • So just figure out why I'm struggling so much with my cycle.

  • Either way, it all stems from struggling to feel worthy.

  • I think we're still struggling to rebound as a unit.

  • These are the best people at math and they're all struggling and it's humbling.

  • Despite their efforts, the small business is struggling to attract new customers.

  • Many students are struggling with the increasing pressure to perform well in exams.

Synonyms

hard-pressed
vsstruggling
33 6.0

Short of money or resources and finding things difficult

highlights making effort to overcome those difficulties rather than just having them
striving
vsstruggling
7 3.5

A strong effort to reach a goal

emphasizes effort while facing hardship or lack of resources
to trying
vsstruggling
1.0

To make an effort to do something

involves effort specifically while coping with serious difficulties or lack

Antonyms

flourishing
1 4.2

Growing quickly and doing well, like a business or town

How Hard

to fight
∞ 1.0
struggling
3.9
to cope
272 2.9
to manage
∞ 3.2
to get by
121 3.1

Surface Forms

struggling positive

Morphology

struggling = struggle (transparent) = struggle + ing

Formed by adding the productive suffix '-ing' to the verb 'struggle'; the adjectival meaning 'trying hard' is directly derived from the verb.

Etymology

Struggling comes from the old verb struggle, which once meant 'to fight' or 'to push' against something and is like the familiar word wrestle. So if someone is struggling, they are fighting hard to move forward through problems such as lack of money or success.