Cool MateStruggle vs The sweat of your brows
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Struggle
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
The sweat of your brows
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Struggle
| Struggle | The sweat of your brows | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈstrʌɡl/","/ˈstrʌɡlz/","/ˈstrʌɡld/","/ˈstrʌɡlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈstrʌɡl/","/ˈstrʌɡlz/","/ˈstrʌɡld/","/ˈstrʌɡlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðə swɛt ʌv jɔː braʊz//🇺🇸 //ðə swɛt əv jʊr braʊz// |
| Meaning | To try hard to do something difficult. | Working hard and putting in effort. |
| Example | She had to struggle through the difficult exam to pass her class. | He achieved success through the sweat of his brows, working late nights and weekends. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | desperately, hard, manfully, have to, against, along, down, struggle to your feet, badly, really, clearly, through, with, struggle to make ends meet, fiercely, furiously, violently, against, with, struggle free | earn by the sweat of your brows, the fruits of your labor, put in hard work, achieve through effort, struggle for success |
| Antonyms | succeed, flourish, thrive | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Struggled' vs 'struggles' confusion - using the wrong tense., Omitting 'to' when saying what one struggles to do., 'Struggles with' is sometimes mistakenly used with objects instead of actions. | Confusing with 'the blood, sweat, and tears' phrase., Using it in casual contexts where simpler phrases are better., Overusing the expression in non-work related contexts. |
| Usage notes | Use 'struggle' when discussing challenges or difficulties, both physically and mentally. It's appropriate in most contexts, from casual conversations to more serious discussions about issues. | Use this phrase to emphasize the effort invested in completing a task. It's often used in contexts of hard work and dedication but may feel somewhat old-fashioned. |
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Frequently asked questions: Struggle vs The sweat of your brows
What's the difference between Struggle and The sweat of your brows?
Struggle: To try hard to do something difficult. The sweat of your brows: Working hard and putting in effort.
Which is more common: Struggle and The sweat of your brows?
Struggle is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Struggle: She had to struggle through the difficult exam to pass her class. The sweat of your brows: He achieved success through the sweat of his brows, working late nights and weekends.
Can I use Struggle and The sweat of your brows interchangeably?
Not always. Struggle and The sweat of your brows are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.