strugglers
People barely coping
Strugglers are people who struggle—those having difficulty with circumstances, tasks, or life in general.
The word often appears in contexts of economic hardship or competitive ranking: The tax cut does nothing for strugglers at the bottom.
In sports, strugglers are teams or players performing poorly: The strugglers at the foot of the table face relegation.
Firmness of purpose
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- gritDetermination or abrasive particles
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- enduranceSustained effort capacity
willpower · resolve · persistence · tenacity · steadfastness · dedication · commitment · patience
Those not belonging
- longshotsUnlikely winners
- misfitsThose who don't belong
- newcomersThose recently arrived
- unknownsUndetermined quantities
novices · rookies · amateurs · second-stringers · overlooked · underestimated · discounted · underrated
Suffering from difficult circumstances
- setbacksReversals of progress
- misfortuneAdverse circumstance or event
- povertySevere lack of resources
- unemploymentBeing without paid work
crisis · displacement · homelessness · oppression · ordeal · bankruptcy · recession · destitution
Minimal means of living
- scarcityInsufficiency of something needed
- deprivationState of lacking necessities
- desperationUtter loss of hope
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
rationing · foraging · shelter · starvation · squalor · refugee · displaced · bareness
Recovery after decline
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
- turnaroundShift in opposite direction
- resurgenceReturn after dormancy
revival · rebound · recovery · overcoming · rising · climbing · advancing · progressing
determination
Firmness of purpose
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- gritDetermination or abrasive particles
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
endurance · willpower · resolve · persistence · tenacity · steadfastness · dedication · commitment · patience · discipline
outsiders
Those not belonging
unknowns · novices · rookies · amateurs · second-stringers · overlooked · underestimated · discounted · underrated · disadvantaged
hardship
Suffering from difficult circumstances
- setbacksReversals of progress
- misfortuneAdverse circumstance or event
- povertySevere lack of resources
unemployment · crisis · displacement · homelessness · oppression · ordeal · bankruptcy · recession · destitution · disaster
subsistence
Minimal means of living
- scarcityInsufficiency of something needed
- deprivationState of lacking necessities
- desperationUtter loss of hope
makeshift · rationing · foraging · shelter · starvation · squalor · refugee · displaced · bareness · hand-to-mouth
comeback
Recovery after decline
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
- turnaroundShift in opposite direction
resurgence · revival · rebound · recovery · overcoming · rising · climbing · advancing · progressing · succeeding
- underdogsunderdog, underdogs, Cinderella, sleeper, dark horse
- unfortunatesvictims, unfortunate, wretch, poor soul, lost soul
strugglersachievers
Those who accomplish goals
winners · successes · high-flyers · overachievers · high achievers
- power struggleContest for dominance
- eternal struggleCeaseless opposition between forces
- inner struggleMental or emotional turmoil
- personal strugglesIndividual challenges one faces
- moral struggleInternal debate over rightness
- internal struggle