Cool MateStruggle vs Try and force it down
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Struggle
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Try and force it down
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: StruggleMost common: Struggle
| Struggle | Try and force it down | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈstrʌɡl/","/ˈstrʌɡlz/","/ˈstrʌɡld/","/ˈstrʌɡlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈstrʌɡl/","/ˈstrʌɡlz/","/ˈstrʌɡld/","/ˈstrʌɡlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //traɪ ənd fɔːs ɪt daʊn//🇺🇸 //traɪ ənd fɔrs ɪt daʊn// |
| Meaning | To try hard to do something difficult. | To attempt to make something happen despite difficulties. |
| Example | She had to struggle through the difficult exam to pass her class. | He tried and forced it down despite how heavy the box was. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly 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 | try and succeed, try and push, force it hard, force it quickly, force it away |
| 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 'try and' with 'try to', Incorrectly using it with non-physical objects, Omitting 'it' when referring to something specific |
| 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 in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing. Implies a struggle to achieve something. |
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Frequently asked questions: Struggle vs Try and force it down
What's the difference between Struggle and Try and force it down?
Struggle: To try hard to do something difficult. Try and force it down: To attempt to make something happen despite difficulties.
Which is more formal: Struggle and Try and force it down?
Struggle is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Struggle and Try and force it down?
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. Try and force it down: He tried and forced it down despite how heavy the box was.
Can I use Struggle and Try and force it down interchangeably?
Not always. Struggle and Try and force it down 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.