wrestle

1 of 2

verb

wres·​tle ˈre-səl  ˈra- 

wrestled; wrestling ˈre-sliŋ 

ˈra-;

ˈre-sᵊl-iŋ, 

ˈra-

; wrestles

intransitive verb

1

: to contend by grappling with and striving to trip or throw an opponent down or off balance

2

: to combat an opposing tendency or force

wrestling with his conscience

3

: to engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate

4

: to engage in or as if in a violent or determined struggle

wrestling with cumbersome luggage

transitive verb

1

a

: to engage in (a match, bout, or fall) in wrestling

b

: to wrestle with

wrestle an alligator

2

: to move, maneuver, or force with difficulty

wrestle

2 of 2

noun

: the action or an instance of wrestling : struggle

especially : a wrestling bout

Synonyms of wrestle

Verb

• fight
• grapple

Examples of wrestle in a Sentence

Verb

They'll be wrestling each other for the championship.

They'll be wrestling with each other for the championship.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Grown men clock in to work to wrestle in the sand with their friends, bond closely with their horses, and film thirst traps for social media on their lunch breaks. — Alessandra Schade, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026

But Le Mindu is hardly the only designer to have confronted his own fears of death through fashion—designers have long used this medium to wrestle with what is paradoxically both life’s only guarantee and one of its greatest mysteries. — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026

Alex Pretti appeared to try to help her, and then both of his hands are visible -- one holding a phone and the other held up, seemingly to protect himself from pepper spray -- when he's wrestled to the ground. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

New chancellor Kevin Howell has deep ties to the school, having wrestled and served as student body president at NC State. — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English wrastlen, wrestlen, from Old English wrǣstlian, frequentative of wrǣstan

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1593, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing wrestle

• Indian-wrestle

Rhymes for wrestle

• cresol
• decile
• nestle
• pestle
• sessile
• trestle
• vessel
• wessel
• subsessile

Kids Definition

wrestle

1 of 2 verb

wres·​tle ˈres-əl 

wrestled; wrestling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to struggle with and try to throw down an opponent

2

: to compete against in wrestling

3

: to struggle for control (as of something difficult)

wrestler

ˈres-lər 

noun

wrestle

2 of 2 noun

: the action or an instance of wrestling