SAT Exam Essential Vocabulary - Challenges and Struggles

Here you will learn some English words related to challenges and struggles, such as "strive", "feat", "persist", etc. that you will need to ace your SATs.

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to withstand [verb]

to resist or endure the force, pressure, or challenges imposed upon oneself

Ex: Plants in arid climates have adaptations to withstand drought conditions .

to tolerate [verb]

to allow something one dislikes, especially certain behavior or conditions, without interference or complaint

Ex: Patients often need to tolerate discomfort during medical treatments for their well-being .

to struggle [verb]

to engage in a violent fight with someone, especially to get out of a difficult situation

Ex: The workers struggled with the heavy machinery to complete the task .

to tackle [verb]

to try to deal with a difficult problem or situation in a determined manner

Ex: Teachers collaborate to find effective strategies to tackle students ' learning challenges .

to encounter [verb]

to be faced with an unexpected difficulty during a process

Ex: Engineers often encounter unforeseen issues during the construction phase of a project .

to confront [verb]

to face or deal with a problem or difficult situation directly

Ex: Individuals often avoid confronting personal issues until they become too difficult to ignore .

to strive [verb]

to make great efforts or struggle in opposition, often in contention or dispute

Ex:

to grapple [verb]

to engage in a determined effort to confront and resolve a problem or obstacle

Ex:

to resort [verb]

to turn to or use something as a solution or means of help, especially as a last option

Ex: In times of financial difficulty , she would resort to borrowing money from friends .

to persevere [verb]

to continue a course of action, especially in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success

Ex: The students had to persevere in their studies during the challenging semester .

to endeavor [verb]

to make an effort to achieve a goal or complete a task

Ex: Entrepreneurs often endeavor to launch successful businesses through strategic planning .

to toil [verb]

to work extremely hard and persistently, often with great effort and dedication

Ex: Artists toil for hours to create intricate and detailed pieces of artwork .

to persist [verb]

to continue a course of action with determination, even when faced with challenges or discouragement

Ex:

to rival [verb]

to be equal to or compete closely with someone or something in terms of skill, ability, or performance

Ex: Can you please name a company that rivals ours in terms of market share ?

to endure [verb]

to persist through difficult or painful experiences

Ex: They endured the tough economic times by staying resourceful and resilient .

to concede [verb]

to admit defeat in a competition, election, etc.

Ex: She conceded her position in the race when it was clear she could n't catch up .

to overwhelm [verb]

to overpower someone or something emotionally or mentally, leaving them unable to respond effectively

Ex: A sense of relief overwhelmed him after the exam .

to withdraw [verb]

to pull back or move away from a position or situation, often in response to a threat or unfavorable conditions

Ex: The air support was called in to cover the ground forces as they withdrew from the besieged city .

to succumb [verb]

to surrender to a superior force or influence

Ex: She tried to resist the temptation , but eventually succumbed to the allure of the decadent dessert .

obstacle [noun]

an intangible difficulty or challenge that must be overcome

Ex: Bureaucracy proved to be a significant obstacle to the project .

barricade [noun]

a defensive barrier erected during wartime to obstruct enemy movement and provide protection for defending forces

Ex: During the siege , the defenders relied on makeshift barricades to shield themselves from enemy gunfire .

impediment [noun]

anything that blocks or slows progress

Ex: Bureaucratic red tape can be a major impediment to starting a new business .

burden [noun]

a responsibility or task that causes hardship, stress, etc.

Ex: The responsibility of managing a large team became too much of a burden for him .

tightrope [noun]

a situation where one must navigate carefully to avoid problems or failure

Ex: As a parent of teenagers , he often feels he 's on a tightrope , setting boundaries while fostering independence .

adversity [noun]

a situation marked by hardship or misfortune

Ex: Economic adversity affected many families during the recession , leading to job losses and financial strain .

calamity [noun]

an event causing great and often sudden damage, distress, or destruction

Ex: The pandemic was a global calamity , affecting millions of lives and economies around the world .

drawback [noun]

a disadvantage or the feature of a situation that makes it unacceptable

Ex: While the plan has many benefits , the drawback is its high cost .

mishap [noun]

an unexpected and unlucky event

Ex: During the play , a technical mishap caused the lights to go out suddenly .

dilemma [noun]

a situation that is difficult because a choice must be made between two or more options that are equally important

Ex: The politician 's dilemma was whether to support the new policy that was popular but potentially harmful in the long run .

disturbance [noun]

an event or situation that interrupts or disrupts the normal state or functioning of something

Ex: The disturbance in the classroom disrupted the lesson .

conundrum [noun]

a problem or question that is confusing and needs a lot of skill or effort to solve or answer

Ex: Deciding whether to prioritize economic growth or environmental protection is a significant conundrum for policymakers .

turmoil [noun]

a state of extreme disturbance that causes a lot of worry and uncertainty

barrier [noun]

an obstacle that separates people or hinders any progress or communication

Ex: Lack of funding is a major barrier to scientific research .

fault line [noun]

an area of vulnerability in a system, organization, or relationship that could lead to significant problems or breakdowns

Ex: The debate over healthcare policy revealed a fault line within the political party , with members sharply divided on the issue .

strain [noun]

a challenging situation or pressure that causes difficulty or tension

Ex: The strain of moving to a new city and starting a job weighed heavily on her .

travail [noun]

hard or painful work

Ex: The expedition endured physical travail while climbing the treacherous mountain .

feat [noun]

an impressive or remarkable achievement or accomplishment, often requiring great skill or strength

resilient [adjective]

able to recover quickly from difficult situations

Ex: Despite the challenges , the resilient student maintained a positive attitude and excelled academically .

persistent [adjective]

continuing to do something despite facing criticism or difficulties

Ex: Despite facing rejection , she remained persistent in her job search , applying to numerous positions .

cumbersome [adjective]

challenging to manage or move due to size, weight, or awkward shape

Ex: She found the cumbersome backpack uncomfortable to wear during the hike .

unbearable [adjective]

causing extreme discomfort or distress that is difficult to endure

Ex: The constant noise from the construction site made the working conditions unbearable .

SAT Exam Essential Vocabulary
Literary Words	Uncommon Meanings	Figurative Meanings	Concrete and Physical Phrasal Verbs
Abstract and Mental Phrasal Verbs	Collocations	Useful Idioms	Understanding Questions
Clause Connectors	Intensifiers and Mitigators	Strength and Improvement	Support
Weakness and Deterioration	Inhibition	Utility and Creation	Challenges and Struggles
Harm and Danger	Difficulty and Complexity	Success and Reliability	Change
Process	Status	Management of Items