The swimmer struggled against the strong river current.
The swimmer struggled against the strong river current.
English
struggle
ˈstrʌɡəl, ˈstrʌɡ(ə)l, ˈstrʌɡ.əl
Meaning: to experience difficulty and make a very great effort to do something
Listen to pronunciation
Show inflections Hide inflections
Verb inflections
| Form | Inflected form |
|---|---|
| Base | struggle |
| 3rd person singular present | struggles |
| Present participle | struggling |
| Past | struggled |
| Will future | will struggle |
| Going-to future | going to struggle |
| Imperative negative | don't struggle / do not struggle |
Example sentences
She struggled to carry the heavy boxes up the stairs.
She struggled to carry the heavy boxes up the stairs.
He struggled to keep his balance on the icy sidewalk.
He struggled to keep his balance on the icy sidewalk.
The small shop finally went bust after years of struggling.
The small shop finally went bust after years of struggling.
The scientists struggled to grasp the magnitude of the discovery.
The scientists struggled to grasp the magnitude of the discovery.
Usage Notes
Often used when describing an action that requires significant physical or mental effort against resistance or difficulty.
Sottaku
About Sottaku
Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.
Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.
Free Forever
Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.
Smart SRS System
Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.
Comprehensive Content
From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.
Community Chat
Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.