STRUHG-uhl
/ˈstɹʌɡəl/
struggle is pronounced STRUHG-uhl (/ˈstɹʌɡəl/). Struggle refers to making strenuous efforts against difficulty or opposing forces, often involving effort, resistance, or conflict. It can describe physical exertion, emotional distress, or a challenging process. The term emphasizes persistence despite obstacles and can imply persistent effort over time rather than immediate success.
Struggle refers to making strenuous efforts against difficulty or opposing forces, often involving effort, resistance, or conflict. It can describe physical exertion, emotional distress, or a challenging process. The term emphasizes persistence despite obstacles and can imply persistent effort over time rather than immediate success.
- You may overarticulate the /ɡ/ or put too much space between /ɡ/ and /əl/, sounding like two syllables. Practice a tight release into a quick /əl/. - The /str/ cluster can cause a mis-timing of the /ɹ/; ensure the /r/ sound blends without creating an extra syllable. Use a rapid, single transition between /str/ to /ɡ/. - The /ʌ/ in the first syllable may be confused with /æ/ or /ɜː/ in some accents; aim for the short, flat /ʌ/ from 'strut', not a lax, open vowel. - Final /əl/ can become an /ɚ/ or /əl/ with varying degrees of rhotacization; keep the l-quiet and let the schwa soften without extra lip rounding.
"She struggled to lift the heavy box, her muscles shaking with the effort."
"The company struggled to meet quarterly targets while dealing with supply delays."
"Many students struggle with pronouncing difficult sounds in a new language."
You pronounce it as /ˈstrʌɡəl/. The first syllable is stressed: STRUHG-uhl. Start with /s/ + /t/ burst, then the /r/ following the /s/ blends. The vowel is a short /ʌ/ as in 'strut', followed by /ɡ/ directly before the final /əl/. In fast speech the ending softens to a quick schwa + dark L: /ˈstrʌɡəl/.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable with a long vowel (like /i:/) or splitting it into /strug-gle/ with a hard, separate /ɡ/ and /l/ rather than a smooth /ɡəl/ rhyme. Another frequent mistake is weakening or omitting the /r/ after /st/ (s-t-r- cluster). Correct by maintaining the tight /str/ onset, use a short /ʌ/ in the first syllable, and glide softly into /ɡə/ or /ɡəl/ for the second syllable.
US and UK share the same primary stress pattern /ˈstrʌɡəl/, but rhoticity can affect the /ɹ/ with rhotic accents. In many American pronunciations, the /r/ is pronounced clearly before the vowel; in non-rhotic UK accents, the /r/ may be less pronounced and sometimes non-existent in coda positions, though this word is onset-heavy so the /r/ sound is still present. Australian English tends to have a slightly more centralized vowel in /ʌ/ and a potentially lighter /ɹ/ realization, with similar stress to the other varieties.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /str/ at the start and the light, quick transition into /ɡəl/. The /str/ cluster requires precise timing and tongue position: the tip of the tongue lightly touches the alveolar ridge for /s/ and /t/ before a rapid /ɹ/ or /ɹ/ maneuver. The /ʌ/ vowel is short and unrounded, so the mouth remains compact before the hard /ɡ/ closure followed by a soft schwa. Mastery comes from timing and air flow control.
Yes—note the settled, quick transition between the /ɡ/ and the final /əl/. The second syllable forms a rhyming nucleus with /əl/ rather than a separate, emphasized vowel. The final /əl/ merges with the preceding /ɡ/ as a single light syllable in fluent speech. This makes the word feel compact and clipped in casual speech, so practice keeping the /ɡ/ firmly closed before letting the schwa relax into a soft, nearly unstressed /əl/.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /ɹ/ after /tu/? Actually /strʌɡəl/; the /ɹ/ is part of /str/ cluster; keep it crisp and non-rolling. /ʌ/ remains short, lips relaxed. - UK: possibly a less rhotic /ɹ/ in some speakers; still keep /str/ cohesive; the final /əl/ can sound more open with a mild lip rounding. - AU: often flatter vowel systems; the /ʌ/ remains central but may be slightly back; the /ɹ/ is approximant-like and not strongly colored. Use broad mouth posture and quicker transitions to /ɡəl/. - IPA references: //ˈstrʌɡəl// with US /r/ coloration, UK often drier /ˈstrʌɡəl/; AU similar to US with slight vowel centralization.
Struggle comes from Middle English struglen, a verb meaning to strive, contend, or wrestle, with roots tracing to Old Norse styrgja and Old English styran, indicating pressure or opposition. The form evolved during the 13th century into struggle as a verbal noun indicating ongoing effort or conflict. The semantic shift moved from literal wrestling or contending to a broader sense of persistent effort against obstacles, whether physical, emotional, or situational. The word’s core idea centers on active resistance and exertion in the face of difficulty, with usage expanding to non-physical contexts like coping with tasks, debates, or personal challenges. It has maintained a consistent association with sustained effort rather than a one-shot attempt, though the intensity can vary from mild to extreme. First known usage in written English appears in late Middle English, carving out its place in both everyday speech and formal discourse as a reliable descriptor of endurance under pressure.
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Words that rhyme with "struggle"
-gle sounds
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