grapple

1 of 2

noun

grap·​ple ˈgra-pəl 

1

a

: the act or an instance of grappling

b

: a hand-to-hand struggle

locked in a desperate grapple with his foe

c

: a contest for superiority or mastery

their grapple with tyranny

2

: an instrument for grabbing or gripping something: such as

a

: a bucket (as on an excavating machine) having hinged jaws

b

: grappling hook

grapple

2 of 2

verb

grappled; grappling ˈgra-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to seize with or as if with a grapple (see grapple entry 1 sense 2)

2

: to grasp with the hands : wrestle

3

: to bind closely

intransitive verb

1

: to make a ship fast with a grappling hook

2

: to begin to understand or deal with something in a direct or effective way

Officials grappled with an increase in violent crimes.

3

: to use a grapple

grappler

ˈgra-p(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms of grapple

Noun

• grip
• grasp
• hold

Verb

• wrestle

Examples of grapple in a Sentence

Noun

was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match

after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair

Verb

two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears

a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aston Villa’s grapple with underlying metrics has been under the microscope all season. —Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

The department is sharing clips of recent incidents stemming from spring break chaos, earning hundreds of thousands of views as officials throughout the Sunshine State grapple with another year of college students descending on their city’s beaches. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026

Verb

As parents grapple with the safety question, some are also considering the value their kids are getting from expensive private schools in the Gulf. —Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Bahrain put forward the proposal, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, as world powers grapple with how to release Iran's chokehold on the crucial waterway, which has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and threatened the world economy. —Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English grappel grappling hook, from Old French *grappelle, diminutive of grape hook — more at grape

First Known Use

Noun

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for grapple

• appal
• apple
• chapel
• dapple
• pineapple

Kids Definition

grapple

1 of 2 noun

grap·​ple ˈgrap-əl 

: the act of grappling : grip, hold

grapple

2 of 2 verb

grappled; grappling ˈgrap-(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to seize or hold with or as if with a hooked instrument

2

: to seize and struggle with one another

3

: to attempt to deal

grappled with a problem

grappler

-(ə-)lər 

noun