she struggles with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "she struggles with" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone facing difficulty or challenges in a particular area or task. Example: "She struggles with time management, often finding it hard to meet deadlines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I can tell she struggles with having someone live here".

The New York Times

Ms. Liu said she struggles with guilt and regret.

The New York Times

"She struggles with trust and with romantic relationships.

The Guardian

She struggles with school and currently attends a referral unit.

The Guardian

But she struggles with walking, talking, and being followed by an 8ft pork chop.

Independent

When she struggles with inverting linear functions, the software provides more online tutoring.

The New York Times

But she struggles with regret at having agreed to the initial surgery.

The Washington Post

She struggles with the banal to-and-fro of social interaction and recoils from physical contact.

The Guardian - Film

She struggles with a question that many Syrians share these days: will she ever go home?

The New Yorker

"She struggles with the internet, and so does this person, me, in real life!" she chuckles.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Casey is the non-judgmental type but even she struggles with this.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add nuance, consider using adverbs to modify "struggles". For example, "She consistently struggles with deadlines" conveys a recurring problem, whereas "She occasionally struggles with public speaking" implies it's not a constant issue.

Common error

Avoid overusing "she struggles with" as a catch-all phrase. Be specific about the nature of the struggle. Instead of saying, "She struggles with life", clarify, "She struggles with balancing work and personal life."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "she struggles with" functions as a verb phrase indicating difficulty or a challenge experienced by the subject. Ludwig shows various examples where it describes ongoing issues or specific problems. It clearly portrays a situation where the individual faces obstacles.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "she struggles with" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe someone facing difficulties or challenges. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is widely used across diverse sources like News & Media. While semantically similar alternatives like "she has difficulty with" and "she finds it challenging to" exist, "she struggles with" remains a straightforward and effective way to convey this meaning in various contexts. When using it, clarity and specificity about the object of struggle are crucial for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

she has difficulty with

Replaces "struggles" with "has difficulty", focusing on the aspect of having trouble.

she finds it challenging to

Emphasizes the challenging nature of something, instead of the struggle itself.

she has a hard time with

Uses a more informal expression to indicate difficulty.

she faces challenges in

Highlights the challenges encountered in a specific area.

she grapples with

Implies a more intense and ongoing struggle.

she wrestles with

Similar to "grapples with", suggesting a significant and persistent effort to overcome something.

she contends with

Highlights the act of dealing with or opposing something difficult.

she battles with

Uses a stronger term, "battles", to convey a more intense struggle.

she is deficient in

Focuses on a lack of ability or skill in a particular area.

she lacks proficiency in

Highlights a lack of skill or expertise in something.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "she struggles with"?

You can use alternatives like "she has difficulty with", "she finds it challenging to", or "she has a hard time with" depending on the context.

How do I use "she struggles with" in a sentence?

Use "she struggles with" to indicate difficulty or a challenge someone faces. For example, "She struggles with anxiety" or "She struggles with learning new languages".

Which is correct, "she struggles with" or "she is struggling with"?

Both are correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "She struggles with" suggests an ongoing, habitual difficulty, while "she is struggling with" implies a current or recent difficulty. For example, consider, "she struggles with math" vs "She is struggling with the new math curriculum".

What's the difference between "she struggles with" and "she overcomes"?

"She struggles with" indicates difficulty or a challenge, while "she overcomes" suggests successfully dealing with and surpassing an obstacle. They represent opposite outcomes in a challenging situation.