Vocabulary

What does もがく (mogaku) mean?

もがく means to struggle, flounder, make a desperate effort.

Quick facts
Reading	もがく
Romaji	mogaku
Part of speech	godan verb, intransitive
Level (estimated, JLPT framework)	N1

もがくもがく

N1 · estimated, JLPT frameworkCommonmogaku

to struggle, flounder, make a desperate effort

1godan verb · intransitive to struggle; to writhe; to wriggle
2godan verb · intransitive to act frantically; to make desperate efforts

Example sentences

溺(おぼ)れそうになってもがいた。
I struggled as I was about to drown.
彼(かれ)は借金(しゃっきん)から抜(ぬ)け出(だ)そうともがいている。
He is struggling to climb out of debt.

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