a struggle behind

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a struggle behind" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to challenges or difficulties that have occurred in the past, often in a context where one is reflecting on experiences or achievements. Example: "Her success in the competition was impressive, but there was a struggle behind that few knew about."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Aaron Voros won the puck in a struggle behind the net and centered to Gaborik, left uncovered nearby.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Despite the madness in China's biggest city with a power struggle behind the scenes resulting in Anelka (who somehow, despite a season that can politely be described as underwhelming, ended up at Juventus) and Drogba (professional, passionate and dedicated in his even shorter time) heading back west amid reports of unpaid salaries, the progress of others is steadier.

The New York Times

But a titanic struggle behind the scenes, obscured by public events and often blurred by Tehran's whirring rumour mill, may be just as crucial to the country's future.

The Economist

But at Ewood Park there is confusion as contradictory club statements and a power struggle behind the scenes leave Rovers fans wondering what exactly is the truth behind the demise of their once proud football club.

BBC

With De Boer backed by a dream team of club legends like his assistant boss Dennis Bergkamp and director of football Marc Overmars on his backroom staff, Ajax's directors have put a recent boardroom struggle behind them to create a coaching team built on past glories but focused on a brighter future.

BBC

The boyfriend, Adam Matthew Moss, was captured without a struggle as he hid behind a pile of plywood, after an all-night search by the authorities, Chief Frisbie said.

The New York Times

"The departure of Ustinov is an important victory for liberals in the government and president administration in what appears to be an ongoing power struggle behind the scenes," Goldman Sachs said in a research note.

The New York Times

Admittedly, it is more of a struggle to name the man behind the sculptural low seats in zingy colours on which we station ourselves for tea (the late Pierre Paulin, Charlotte tells me later), but I recognise them, and – perhaps more importantly – I recognise them as being exemplary of good late-20th-century design.

Independent

"I won't find it a struggle to leave it all behind because the life of a gymnast plateaus.

BBC

Brett admitted that victory over Thompson had been a struggle as he came from behind to win after a tie-break.

BBC

Armed with a shotgun, pistol and semi-automatic rifle, authorities say, Holmes lobbed a tear gas canister into the auditorium and sprayed moviegoers with bullets until one of his guns jammed, then surrendered to police without a struggle in the parking lot behind the theater.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a struggle behind", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being obscured or what the struggle is related to. Provide specific details to enhance understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "a struggle behind" without providing sufficient context. Without specific details, the phrase becomes vague and loses its impact. Be specific about the nature of the struggle.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a struggle behind" functions as a noun phrase, often acting as an appositive or a complement to a verb. As Ludwig AI states, it describes a difficulty or challenge that is not immediately visible or obvious.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Sports

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

10%

Science

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a struggle behind" describes a hidden or underlying difficulty. As Ludwig AI describes, it is grammatically correct, though rare in usage. The primary contexts where you'll find this phrase are within news media and sports reporting, often serving to add depth to a narrative by highlighting unseen challenges or efforts. When using this phrase, it's important to provide sufficient context to ensure clarity. Related alternatives include phrases like ""a hidden battle"" or ""an underlying challenge"". Though "a struggle behind" isn't frequently used, it offers a nuanced way to convey complexity and hidden effort.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hidden battle

Replaces "struggle" with a more aggressive term and "behind" with "hidden", maintaining the sense of an unseen conflict.

an underlying challenge

Substitutes "struggle" with "challenge" to soften the connotation, emphasizing the problematic nature of the situation, and "behind" with "underlying".

a concealed difficulty

Emphasizes the hidden nature of the problem, replacing "struggle" with "difficulty" and "behind" with "concealed".

a secret hardship

Highlights the painful aspect of the hidden struggle, using "hardship" instead of "struggle" and "secret" instead of "behind".

an unseen effort

Focuses on the labor involved in overcoming a hidden obstacle, replacing "struggle" with "effort" and "behind" with "unseen".

a masked conflict

Highlights that the conflict is not in plain sight.

a veiled challenge

Highlights that the challenge is covered or disguised.

a disguised effort

Highlights that the effort is not clearly visible.

a shrouded hardship

Highlights that the hardship is not clear.

a blurred adversity

Highlights the lack of visibility of the adversity.

FAQs

How can I use "a struggle behind" in a sentence?

Use "a struggle behind" to describe a difficulty or challenge that is not immediately apparent. For example, "The company's success masked "a struggle behind" the scenes to keep afloat".

What are some alternatives to "a struggle behind"?

Alternatives include "a hidden battle", "an underlying challenge", or "a concealed difficulty". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "a struggle behind" or "struggles behind"?

"A struggle behind" refers to a single, overarching difficulty. "Struggles behind" implies multiple, distinct difficulties. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the situation.

What's the difference between "a struggle behind" and "a struggle ahead"?

"A struggle behind" refers to a challenge that has already been faced and may have influenced the present. "A struggle ahead" refers to a future challenge that needs to be overcome.