TOP

Definition of struggle noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

struggle

noun
 
 
/ˈstrʌɡl/
 
/ˈstrʌɡl/
jump to other results
  1.  
     [countable] a hard fight in which people try to obtain or achieve something, especially something that somebody else does not want them to have
    • Marx wrote about the class struggle.
    • She played a very important role during the freedom struggle.
    • struggle for something a struggle for independence
    • Three teams are locked in a struggle for this year's title.
    • struggle against something They took up the struggle against racism.
    • struggle with something her struggle with cancer
    • struggle (with somebody) (to do something) He is engaged in a bitter struggle with his rival to get control of the company.
    • struggle between A and B an ongoing power struggle between president and prime minister
    • the struggle between good and evil
    • She will not give up her children without a struggle.
    Synonyms campaigncampaignbattle ▪ struggle ▪ drive ▪ war ▪ fightThese are all words for an effort made to achieve or prevent something.campaign a series of planned activities that are intended to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim:
    • the campaign for parliamentary reform
    • an advertising campaign
    battle a competition or argument between people or groups of people trying to win power or control:
    • She finally won the legal battle for compensation.
    • the endless battle between man and nature
    struggle a competition or argument between people or groups of people trying to win power or control:
    • the struggle for independence
    • the struggle between good and evil
     battle or struggle?A struggle is always about things that seem absolutely necessary, such as life and death or freedom. A battle can also be about things that are not absolutely necessary, just desirable, or about the pleasure of winning: the battle/​struggle between good and evil • a legal struggle for compensation • a struggle of wills/​wits. drive an organized effort by a group of people to achieve something:
    • the drive for greater efficiency
    • a drive to reduce energy consumption
     campaign or drive?A campaign is usually aimed at getting other people to do something; a drive may be an attempt by people to get themselves to do something: From today, we’re going on an economy drive (= we must spend less). A campaign may be larger, more formal and more organized than a drive.war [sing.] an effort over a long period of time to get rid of or stop something bad:
    • the war against crime
    fight [sing.] the work of trying to stop or prevent something bad or achieve something good; an act of competing, especially in a sport:
    • Workers won their fight to stop compulsory redundancies.
     war or fight?A war is about stopping things, like drugs and crime, that everyone agrees are bad. A fight can be about achieving justice for yourself.Patterns
    • a campaign/​battle/​struggle/​drive/​war/​fight against something
    • a campaign/​battle/​struggle/​drive/​fight for something
    • a one-man/​one-woman/​personal campaign/​battle/​struggle/​war
    • a bitter campaign/​battle/​struggle/​drive/​war/​fight
    • to launch/​embark on a campaign/​battle/​drive
    • to lead/​continue the campaign/​battle/​struggle/​drive/​fight
    • to win/​lose a battle/​struggle/​war/​fight
    Extra Examples
    • I've given up the struggle to keep my house clean.
    • The UN supported what it saw as the just struggle of an oppressed people.
    • The author illustrates the inner struggles of this complicated woman.
    • a struggle over the property
    • species engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the environment
    • the daily struggle for survival
    • the long struggle for democracy
    • the struggle against fascism
    • a leadership struggle
    Topics Opinion and argumentb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • epic
    • great
    • life-and-death
    • …
    verb + struggle
    • begin
    • end
    • join
    • …
    struggle + verb
    • ensue
    • take place
    • continue
    • …
    preposition
    • in a/​the struggle
    • without a struggle
    • struggle against
    • …
    phrases
    • a sign of a struggle
    • years of struggle
    See full entry
  2.  
     [countable] a physical fight between two people or groups of people, especially when one of them is trying to escape, or to get something from the other
    • There were no signs of a struggle at the murder scene.
    • After a short struggle, I managed to get the knife away from him.
    • struggle with somebody He was involved in a struggle with the police.
    • struggle against somebody The group supported the armed struggle against the dictator.
    Synonyms fightfightclash ▪ brawl ▪ struggle ▪ scuffleThese are all words for a situation in which people try to defeat each other using physical force.fight a situation in which two or more people try to defeat each other using physical force:
    • He got into a fight with a man in the bar.
    clash (in the media) a short fight between two groups of people:
    • Clashes broke out between police and demonstrators.
    brawl a noisy and violent fight involving a group of people, usually in a public place:
    • a drunken brawl in a bar
    struggle a fight between two people or groups of people, especially when one of them is trying to escape, or to get something from the other:
    • There were no signs of a struggle at the murder scene.
    scuffle a short and not very violent fight or struggle:
    • He was involved in a scuffle with a photographer.
    Patterns
    • a fight/​clash/​brawl/​struggle/​scuffle over something
    • in a fight/​brawl/​struggle/​scuffle
    • a violent fight/​clash/​struggle
    • to be in/​get into/​be involved in a fight/​clash/​brawl/​scuffle
    • a fight/​clash/​brawl/​scuffle breaks out
    Extra Examples
    • If someone snatched your bag, would you put up a struggle?
    • One of the guards was hurt in the struggle.
    • There were the sounds of a desperate struggle.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • epic
    • great
    • life-and-death
    • …
    verb + struggle
    • begin
    • end
    • join
    • …
    struggle + verb
    • ensue
    • take place
    • continue
    • …
    preposition
    • in a/​the struggle
    • without a struggle
    • struggle against
    • …
    phrases
    • a sign of a struggle
    • years of struggle
    See full entry
  3.  
     [singular] something that is difficult for you to do or achieve synonym effort
    • struggle to do something It was a real struggle to be ready on time.
    • They face an uphill struggle to get to the finals of the competition.
    Extra Examples
    • It was a bit of a struggle for me to get there so early.
    • It will be an uphill struggle to maintain exports at the current level.
    • We had a real struggle to get everything into the suitcase.
    Topics Difficulty and failureb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • great
    • hard
    • real
    • …
    verb + struggle
    • face
    • have
    • give up
    • …
    phrases
    • a bit of a struggle
    See full entry
    4. Word Originlate Middle English: frequentative, perhaps of imitative origin. The noun dates from the late 17th cent.
See struggle in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee struggle in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: struggle

Nearby words

previously
adverb
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 3000
B1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day