grappling

noun

grap·​pling ˈgra-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce grappling (audio)

Examples of grappling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Episode 7, Rick paces at the edge of the bed, gripping a gun and grappling with the weight of vengeance. Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 Understanding him also required grappling with a different set of references. Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 14 June 2025 Weaving together voices from hundreds of unfiltered radio calls to the Yellowstone Public Radio show Your Opinion, Please!, the film captures a decade of raw public debate across Montana, revealing a state grappling with questions of identity, community, and free expression. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2025 Even when things were not going his way, thanks to Burns’ grappling skills, Della Maddalena never panicked. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for grappling

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grappling was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grappling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grappling. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on grappling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!