it must struggle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it must struggle" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something is required to exert effort or face challenges in order to achieve a goal. Example: "In order to survive in such a competitive market, it must struggle to innovate and adapt."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It must encounter resistance; it must "struggle".

The New York Times

Now it must struggle to do likewise with the hoovering of electronic data.

The Guardian - Opinion

It must struggle with "the old universal truths lacking which any story is ephemeral and doomed love and honour and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice".But Faulkner did more than prove Mencken wrong; for Mencken's view was, and to some extent still is, shared by most Americans.

The Economist

It grows in dense mats, where it must struggle to survive in an ultra-competitive environment.

Science Magazine

So it must struggle to get a grip on the most important news, which surely includes the ugliest, and is always, in a way, "old".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

As a disability pariah, I must struggle for a place, for kinship, for community, for connection.

The New York Times - Magazine

Second, I would never commit suicide because I must struggle here to topple this tribunal and this farce of a trial and the mastermind behind it".

The New York Times

When an adult brain suffers an injury, its neurons must struggle harder to rewire than those of young brains.

Science Magazine

For them, the past isn't just waiting, inertly, to be described: the past has its own agenda, and they must struggle to see it clearly, describe it honestly, and understand it.

The New Yorker

At times he lapses into turgid academic jargon, in which case it is the reader who must struggle.

The New York Times - Books

As a result of this, humans cannot be compatible with nature and must struggle with it to survive.

Business Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it must struggle" to convey a sense of inevitable hardship or effort required to overcome obstacles. The phrase emphasizes the necessity of the struggle for achieving a particular outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "it must struggle" when a simpler verb like "try" or "work" would suffice. Overusing metaphorical struggles can make your writing sound melodramatic or unnecessarily complex. Choose the clearest and most direct language possible for the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it must struggle" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing necessity or obligation combined with an action verb indicating effort and difficulty. Ludwig shows that it is used to describe situations where something is required to exert effort against challenges, as seen in the examples where entities must struggle to survive or achieve goals.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Encyclopedias

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it must struggle" is a grammatically correct expression used to convey the necessity of effort and determination in the face of challenges. Ludwig confirms that it commonly appears in neutral to formal contexts, particularly in news and media, and scientific writing. While the phrase effectively emphasizes the arduous nature of a task, writers should avoid overuse to prevent sounding overly dramatic. Alternatives like "it has to strive" or "it needs to fight" offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it has no choice but to struggle

Emphasizes the lack of alternatives; the phrase "it must struggle" simply means that there is no other path.

it has to strive

Replaces "must" with "has to" and "struggle" with "strive", altering the tone slightly but maintaining the core meaning.

it is compelled to struggle

Substitutes "must" with "is compelled to", adding a sense of obligation or external force.

it needs to fight

Replaces "must struggle" with "needs to fight", changing the metaphor to a more combative one.

it is forced to contend

Replaces "must struggle" with "is forced to contend", emphasizing the involuntary nature of the effort.

it is required to persevere

Changes "must struggle" to "is required to persevere", focusing on the necessity of endurance.

it is bound to labor

Replaces "must struggle" with "is bound to labor", indicating an obligation to work hard.

it is obliged to endeavor

Substitutes "must struggle" with "is obliged to endeavor", suggesting a formal or moral duty to make an effort.

it is destined to wrestle

Replaces "must struggle" with "is destined to wrestle", implying a predetermined conflict or challenge.

it is slated to grapple

Changes "must struggle" to "is slated to grapple", indicating a planned or expected engagement with difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "it must struggle" in a sentence?

Use "it must struggle" to describe a situation where something faces significant challenges and needs to exert considerable effort. For example: "In a competitive market, a new business "it must struggle" to gain market share."

What are some alternatives to "it must struggle"?

Alternatives include phrases like "it has to strive", "it needs to fight", or "it is forced to contend", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "it must struggle" in writing?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize the inevitable challenges and difficulties faced by a subject. However, ensure that the context justifies the use of such a strong and potentially dramatic phrase.

What's the difference between "it must struggle" and "it should try"?

"It must struggle" suggests a necessary and arduous effort against significant odds, while "it should try" implies a recommendation to make an attempt without necessarily facing overwhelming challenges. The first indicates a higher degree of difficulty and necessity.