struggler

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

struggler
    n 1: a person who struggles with difficulties or with great
         effort

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Struggler \Strug"gler\, n.
   One who struggles.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

55 Moby Thesaurus words for "struggler":
      battler, belligerent, belted knight, bickerer, blade, bravo,
      brawler, bully, bullyboy, combatant, competitor, contender,
      contestant, disputant, duelist, enforcer, fencer, feuder, fighter,
      fighting cock, foilsman, gamecock, gladiator, goon, gorilla,
      hatchet man, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, jouster, knight, militant,
      plug-ugly, quarreler, rioter, rival, rough, rowdy, ruffian,
      sabreur, scrapper, scuffler, squabbler, strong arm, strong-arm man,
      strong-armer, swashbuckler, sword, swordplayer, swordsman, thug,
      tilter, tough, tussler, wrangler