25 Other Ways to Say STRUGGLE | Struggle Synonyms (Examples)

Dealing with challenges is something everyone goes through. Whether it's at work, school, or in personal life, finding the right word to describe those tough moments can make writing more interesting. Words like battle, fight, or effort can replace struggle in many contexts. In this article, we'll explore 25 synonyms for struggle with examples to help you understand how to use them properly.

25 Different Ways to Say STRUGGLE: Another Word for Struggle

Battle

The word battle is perfect when describing a serious confrontation, either physically or mentally. It gives a sense of effort and persistence. Battle works well in both personal and professional contexts where someone is fighting against obstacles. Use it to highlight determination or ongoing conflict. Battle shows action and engagement rather than passive suffering.

• She faced a long battle to get her degree.
• The company is in a battle to gain market share.
• He fought a battle against his own doubts.

Fight

Fight emphasizes active resistance or opposition. It can be literal, like a physical fight, or figurative, like fighting for rights or ideas. This word communicates courage and assertiveness. It's best when you want to show someone is not giving up easily. Fight is motivating and often implies personal stakes are involved.

• He had to fight for every promotion at work.
• The children fought to save their treehouse.
• She's fighting to make a difference in her community.

Effort

Effort points to the work and energy someone puts into something. It's useful when highlighting perseverance and dedication. This synonym is softer than battle or fight but shows persistence. Effort works well in academic, sports, and work-related contexts. It's best used to describe measurable or observable attempts to achieve a goal.

• Running the marathon took incredible effort.
• His effort to learn French paid off.
• She put extra effort into decorating the house.

Labor

Labor refers to physical or mental work done over time. It gives a sense of persistence and endurance. Labor is often associated with hard work that may be tiring but necessary. It's excellent for describing effort in professional, creative, or personal tasks. This word is ideal when you want to highlight commitment and sweat put into something.

• The farmers' labor resulted in a successful harvest.
• He labored over the painting for weeks.
• The students labored to finish the project on time.

Hardship

Hardship describes difficult conditions or suffering someone experiences. It is ideal for showing struggles that are external or situational rather than purely personal. This word emphasizes endurance and resilience. Hardship works well in storytelling, motivational content, or historical writing. It is best when you want to highlight obstacles that test strength.

• She faced financial hardship after losing her job.
• The soldiers endured many hardships during training.
• Living in the mountains meant facing daily hardship.

Conflict

Conflict focuses on clashes, whether internal or external. It is useful when describing disputes, arguments, or personal dilemmas. This synonym is flexible and works in social, workplace, and literary contexts. Conflict shows tension and the need for resolution. Use it when you want to explain competing forces or challenges.

• The siblings were in constant conflict over chores.
• He experienced internal conflict about his career choice.
• There was conflict between management and staff.

Trial

Trial implies a test of endurance or character. It's often used for situations that are tough but temporary. This word is suitable for personal, professional, or emotional challenges. Trial conveys that the struggle is part of a process leading to growth or achievement. It's great when you want to show learning from adversity.

• Losing her home was a trial she had to overcome.
• His patience was tested through the trial of waiting.
• They faced trials in building their business.

Ordeal

Ordeal highlights an extremely difficult or painful experience. It emphasizes suffering, danger, or stress. Ordeal works well in stories, biographies, or descriptions of intense situations. This word is useful when you want to show that the struggle was severe but survivable.

• The climb up the mountain was a true ordeal.
• She went through the ordeal of a long hospital stay.
• They survived the ordeal of a stormy journey.

Strain

Strain conveys pressure or stress that challenges someone physically or mentally. It's often used to describe situations that wear people down over time. Strain is versatile for work, relationships, or personal challenges. This synonym is effective when you want to show tension and effort without conflict.

• Managing multiple projects put a huge strain on him.
• The long hours strained their friendship.
• She felt the strain of her responsibilities at home.

Endeavor

Endeavor refers to an intentional attempt to achieve something challenging. It suggests ambition and purposeful effort. This word is great for academic, business, or creative pursuits. Endeavor emphasizes planning, persistence, and action. Use it when you want to highlight dedication and long-term commitment.

• Their endeavor to start a company finally succeeded.
• He endeavored to learn a new skill every month.
• The team endeavored to improve community services.

Challenge

Challenge is a flexible word that represents any difficult task. It can be physical, mental, or emotional. Challenge is motivating and encourages growth. It works well in professional, educational, and personal contexts. Use it to show opportunities for improvement rather than only hardship.

• Climbing the mountain was a real challenge.
• The math problem posed a challenge for students.
• She faced the challenge of moving to a new city.

Combat

Combat emphasizes action against something threatening or harmful. It can be literal or figurative. This synonym conveys determination and resistance. Use combat when you want to show someone actively opposing difficulties or enemies. It works well in health, work, or conflict-related situations.

• Soldiers trained to combat the enemy effectively.
• The government is combating climate change aggressively.
• He combats stress with regular exercise.

Adversity

Adversity points to difficulties or misfortune that test strength. It's a formal word but easy to relate to personal stories. Adversity emphasizes growth and resilience. Use it when you want to highlight overcoming external obstacles. This word works in motivational content or storytelling.

• She thrived despite facing adversity.
• They encountered adversity during the project.
• His life story is full of adversity and triumph.

Resistance

Resistance shows opposition to something challenging. It's ideal when the struggle is against rules, pressure, or difficult circumstances. This word emphasizes defiance and persistence. Use it to highlight strength and determination in facing challenges.

• The team faced resistance to their new ideas.
• She showed resistance to unhealthy habits.
• Workers resisted changes that threatened their jobs.

Difficulty

Difficulty describes general obstacles or problems someone faces. It's broad and applicable to many contexts. This synonym conveys that something is not easy to handle but achievable. Use it when describing tasks, situations, or experiences requiring effort.

• Learning a new skill comes with difficulty.
• They faced difficulty in reaching a compromise.
• Completing the exam posed difficulty for many students.

Strife

Strife focuses on conflict or disagreement, often in a social or political context. It highlights tension and the struggle to find harmony. Strife is useful when talking about larger-scale struggles, not just personal. It emphasizes persistence amid unrest.

• The country experienced political strife for years.
• Family strife made holidays stressful.
• Communities faced strife during economic crises.

Fightback

Fightback emphasizes recovering or resisting after setbacks. It shows resilience and determination. This word is perfect for describing efforts to regain control or overcome challenges. Use it when highlighting comeback stories or recovery efforts.

• The team organized a fightback after falling behind.
• He mounted a fightback against negative criticism.
• Communities staged a fightback after the disaster.

Tussle

Tussle is a lighter way to show struggle or conflict. It can be playful or minor but still requires effort. This synonym works in informal situations and storytelling. It emphasizes brief or physical confrontations.

• The kids had a tussle over the toy.
• A tussle broke out during the game.
• They had a small tussle over ideas.

Upheaval

Upheaval conveys major disruption or change that causes stress. It's ideal for describing life transitions or societal changes. Upheaval emphasizes adaptation and endurance. Use it when highlighting challenges caused by sudden shifts.

• Moving caused major upheaval in her life.
• Political upheaval changed the country's future.
• The company experienced upheaval after restructuring.

Struggling

Struggling shows ongoing effort to cope or succeed. It's versatile and easy to relate to. This synonym emphasizes persistence and endurance. Use it when describing personal or professional challenges over time.

• He has been struggling to keep up with work.
• She is struggling with health issues.
• The startup is struggling to gain traction.

Pressure

Pressure represents external demands or expectations causing stress. It emphasizes the mental or emotional load someone carries. Use it when describing situations requiring focus or endurance. Pressure highlights effort under challenging conditions.

• The pressure to succeed was intense.
• Students feel pressure during exams.
• He thrives under pressure at work.

Contest

Contest emphasizes competing effort against others. It highlights determination and skill. Use it for competitions, sports, or scenarios requiring direct comparison. Contest shows active engagement and ambition.

• She entered the contest to prove her abilities.
• The artists competed in a contest for recognition.
• They joined a cooking contest in town.

Strain

Strain can also describe emotional or physical stress. It highlights the toll of effort over time. Use it when discussing challenges that wear people down. Strain is flexible and applicable to multiple situations.

• Balancing family and work caused strain.
• The heavy workload put a strain on him.
• Training for the race added physical strain.

Effortful

Effortful describes tasks requiring consistent energy and attention. It emphasizes deliberate exertion and focus. Use it to show persistence in achieving goals. This word highlights the process and work behind success.

• Writing a book is effortful and demanding.
• Preparing for exams was an effortful task.
• Her effortful practice led to mastery.

Grapple

Grapple emphasizes struggling to deal with something complex or challenging. It works for both mental and physical challenges. This word shows active engagement and problem-solving. Use it when someone faces something difficult to handle.

• He had to grapple with a tough decision.
• They grappled with financial problems for months.
• She grappled with her emotions after the news.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right word can make descriptions of struggle more vivid and relatable. These synonyms offer variety for writing about challenges, effort, and perseverance. Using them thoughtfully adds depth and clarity to your sentences while keeping readers engaged.