Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
overcoming struggles
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "overcoming struggles" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts discussing personal growth, resilience, or challenges faced and conquered. Example: "She found strength in overcoming struggles during her journey." Alternative expressions include "overcoming challenges," "conquering difficulties," and "surmounting obstacles."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Wiki
Formal & Business
Encyclopedias
Alternative expressions(20)
surmounting obstacles
triumphing over adversity
overcoming adversity
overcoming obstacles
navigating challenges
enduring tribulations
overcoming difficult times
rising above challenges
Triumphing over adversity
beating the odds
weathering the storm
making a comeback
overcoming challenges
overcoming the difficulties
addressing the difficulties
resolving the issues
overcoming the obstacles
surmounting the barriers
after a long hard road
after much struggle
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
5 human-written examples
They're kind of like bookends of overcoming struggles.
News & Media
On "Welcome to the Jungle", Jay-Z laments personal losses and overcoming struggles.
Wiki
"It's all about overcoming struggles and emotional challenges, it really reflects [where I am] right now," says Hoogstraten.
News & Media
Brené discusses more of her eye-opening research -- specifically about the three phases of overcoming struggles -- in her full interview on this weekend's "SuperSoul Sunday," airing Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on OWN. 3 steps to breaking the cycle of shame. 2 things everyone needs to start living bravely. 1 thing more terrifying than being vulnerable.
News & Media
With a jazz-and-gospel-inflected voice whose power was undeniable, Cole eventually managed to emerge from the shadow of her legendary father, overcoming struggles with drug addiction and health problems to stake out her own successful career, selling more than 30 million albums and earning nine Grammy Awards.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
53 human-written examples
In that spirit, we're incredibly excited to announce that for this year's Day of the African Child – which focuses on the issue of child marriage – for the first time ever, we've invited five inspiring young women to take over our Twitter account and share their stories of overcoming struggle and fighting for the rights of others.
Formal & Business
But overcoming emotional struggles, we found, was key to the success of the high achievers we spoke with.
News & Media
The director of the first anime series, Seiji Mizushima, says that in the development of the story Edward "evolves and devolves"; Mizushima comments that Edward is continuously overcoming inner struggles in order to determine how to grow up.
Wiki
You constantly struggle with overcoming feelings of anger so you can continue living your life.
News & Media
They will ask you how your English class is going, and if you're still struggling with overcoming writer's block for your essay.
News & Media
Hegel maintained that history is the story of the unfolding or realization of "spirit"—a process that requires struggle, agony, and the overcoming of obstacles to the attainment of self-knowledge.
Encyclopedias
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Use specific adjectives before "struggles" to give your writing more depth, such as "emotional", "financial", or "systemic".
Common error
Avoid combining "overcoming" with other verbs like "defeating" or "conquering" in the same breath (e.g. "overcoming and defeating struggles") as they essentially mean the same thing and lead to wordiness.
Source & Trust
95%
Authority and reliability
4.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "overcoming struggles" functions as a gerund phrase or a participial phrase depending on its placement. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it frequently acts as the object of a preposition (e.g., "bookends of "overcoming struggles"") or the object of a verb. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a correct and highly usable English expression.
Frequent in
News & Media
75%
Wiki
10%
Formal & Business
5%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
5%
Science
3%
Reference
2%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In conclusion, "overcoming struggles" is a robust and effective phrase for conveying themes of resilience and success. Ludwig examples demonstrate that it is particularly prevalent in News & Media and Wiki contexts, often used to summarize life stories or social achievements. While the exact phrase is categorized as "Rare" based on a strict word-for-word match count of 5, its semantic variations like "overcoming adversity" and "overcoming obstacles" are ubiquitous. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and carries a neutral to formal tone, making it suitable for everything from professional biographies to empathetic journalism. When writing, consider specifying the type of struggle to avoid sounding generic, and remember that synonyms like "surmounting obstacles" can offer a more physical or technical nuance if needed.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
conquering difficulties
implies a more decisive or forceful victory over problems
surmounting obstacles
emphasizes the verticality or scale of the barriers faced
triumphing over adversity
uses a more formal and inspirational tone regarding general hardship
prevailing against hardships
suggests a sense of endurance and final success against long-term issues
navigating challenges
softens the conflict, suggesting a more strategic approach to problems
defeating hurdles
focuses on specific, individual barriers in a sequence
mastering trials
implies gaining skill or inner strength through suffering
managing complications
is more administrative or professional in its connotation
enduring tribulations
focuses more on the suffering and the passage of time than the victory
resolving conflicts
shifts the focus toward solving specific interpersonal or logical issues
FAQs
What can I say instead of "overcoming struggles"?
Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "conquering difficulties", "surmounting obstacles", or "triumphing over adversity".
How do I use "overcoming struggles" in a sentence?
It is often used as a gerund phrase to describe a theme or a process. For example: "Her biography focuses heavily on the theme of "overcoming struggles" during her early career."
Is it "overcoming struggle" or "overcoming struggles"?
Both are correct. Use "overcoming struggle" when referring to the abstract concept of difficulty, and "overcoming struggles" when referring to multiple specific instances or challenges.
What is the difference between "overcoming struggles" and "surmounting obstacles"?
While similar, "overcoming struggles" usually refers to internal, emotional, or life-circumstance issues, whereas "surmounting obstacles" often refers to external or physical barriers.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
95%
Authority and reliability
4.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested