| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | at a loss | unsure what to do |
| 2. | at breaking point | near emotional collapse |
| 3. | at sea | confused and unsure |
| 4. | at wit’s end | unable to think clearly |
| 5. | barely coping | managing only just enough |
| 6. | battling | fighting hard against something |
| 7. | bedeviled | troubled continually by problems |
| 8. | beleaguered | under persistent pressure |
| 9. | beset | troubled from many sides |
| 10. | besieged | surrounded by pressures or problems |
| 11. | bogged down | slowed by complications |
| 12. | breaking down | losing ability to cope |
| 13. | challenged | facing difficulty or obstacles |
| 14. | coping poorly | managing with difficulty |
| 15. | cracking | starting to break down |
| 16. | creaking | showing strain under pressure |
| 17. | defeated | feeling beaten by difficulty |
| 18. | demoralized | deprived of confidence |
| 19. | despairing | losing hope under pressure |
| 20. | desperate | in urgent serious difficulty |
| 21. | discombobulated | confused and struggling |
| 22. | discouraged | losing confidence or hope |
| 23. | disheartened | discouraged by difficulty |
| 24. | drowning | overwhelmed and unable to cope |
| 25. | encumbered | weighed down or obstructed |
| 26. | enduring | lasting through hardship |
| 27. | failing | not succeeding adequately |
| 28. | faltering | losing strength or momentum |
| 29. | fighting | resisting or trying hard |
| 30. | floundering | failing awkwardly to cope |
| 31. | foundering | failing after serious difficulty |
| 32. | frustrated | prevented from progressing |
| 33. | getting by | managing only just enough |
| 34. | grappling | trying hard to deal |
| 35. | hanging on | continuing despite difficulty |
| 36. | hard put | finding it difficult |
| 37. | hard up against it | facing severe difficulty |
| 38. | hard-pressed | under pressure and difficulty |
| 39. | harried | rushed and stressed |
| 40. | having difficulty | finding something hard to do |
| 41. | having trouble | experiencing problems or difficulty |
| 42. | holding on | enduring despite hardship |
| 43. | in a bind | in a difficult situation |
| 44. | in a fix | in a troublesome situation |
| 45. | in a jam | in a difficult spot |
| 46. | in difficulty | in a hard situation |
| 47. | in dire straits | in very serious difficulty |
| 48. | in trouble | facing problems |
| 49. | keeping afloat | just managing to survive |
| 50. | keeping going | continuing despite difficulty |
| 51. | laboring | working with great difficulty |
| 52. | lagging | falling behind others |
| 53. | limping along | continuing with difficulty |
| 54. | losing ground | falling behind in effort |
| 55. | making do | coping with what exists |
| 56. | maxed out | at full capacity |
| 57. | muddling through | coping imperfectly but continuing |
| 58. | on the ropes | close to defeat |
| 59. | out of one’s depth | beyond one’s ability |
| 60. | outmatched | not equal to demands |
| 61. | overburdened | carrying too many demands |
| 62. | overextended | committed beyond capacity |
| 63. | overloaded | given too much to handle |
| 64. | overmatched | facing stronger opposition |
| 65. | overwhelmed | unable to cope fully |
| 66. | perplexed | confused by difficulty |
| 67. | persevering | continuing despite difficulty |
| 68. | plagued | troubled persistently by problems |
| 69. | put to it | forced to work hard |
| 70. | rattled | shaken and unable to cope |
| 71. | reeling | struggling to recover balance |
| 72. | scrambling | trying frantically to manage |
| 73. | sinking | falling into difficulty |
| 74. | slipping | declining in control or progress |
| 75. | snowed under | overwhelmed with work |
| 76. | strained | under pressure or difficulty |
| 77. | stretched | pulled to the limit |
| 78. | striving | making great effort |
| 79. | stuck | unable to move forward |
| 80. | stumbling | proceeding unsteadily or awkwardly |
| 81. | stymied | blocked from making progress |
| 82. | swamped | overwhelmed by too much |
| 83. | taxed | strained by demands |
| 84. | teetering | unsteady and near failure |
| 85. | thwarted | prevented from succeeding |
| 86. | toiling | working very hard |
| 87. | trailing | behind and not keeping up |
| 88. | troubled | having problems or distress |
| 89. | unable to cope | not managing the situation |
| 90. | under pressure | facing strong demands |
| 91. | under strain | experiencing heavy pressure |
| 92. | under stress | experiencing mental pressure |
| 93. | under the gun | under intense pressure |
| 94. | unequal to it | not capable enough |
| 95. | up against it | facing a hard challenge |
| 96. | up against the wall | facing severe pressure |
| 97. | wavering | showing uncertain progress |
| 98. | weathering it | surviving a hard period |
| 99. | wilting | losing strength under pressure |
| 100. | wrestling | straining to handle something |