Fight with energy in awkward situation (6)
I believe the answer is:
scrape
'awkward situation' is the definition.
(a difficult or embarrassing situation)
'fight with energy' is the wordplay.
'fight' becomes 'scrap' (a scrap is a minor fight).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'energy' becomes 'e' (physics symbol as in E=mc2).
'scrap'+'e'='SCRAPE'
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for scrape that I've seen before include "Thinly applied butter - or jam!" , "Scratch; just make (living)" , "fine kettle of fish" , "What violinist does" , "Informally, an awkward situation due to rashness" .)