wrestle

1 of 2

verb

wres·​tle ˈre-səl How to pronounce wrestle (audio) ˈra- How to pronounce wrestle (audio)
wrestled; wrestling ˈre-sliŋ How to pronounce wrestle (audio)
ˈra-;
ˈre-sᵊl-iŋ,
ˈra-

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
wrestler
ˈre-slər How to pronounce wrestle (audio)
ˈra-;
ˈre-sᵊl-ər
ˈra-
noun

wrestle

2 of 2

noun

: the action or an instance of wrestling : struggle
especially : a wrestling bout

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
Bartenders have been wrestling with this problem for a long time. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2023 As Spielberg and Bergman and hundreds more filmmakers have invented stages to wrestle with existential angst, Williams mounts his own eccentric production. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 22 Sep. 2023 The two came within 100 yards of me and began affectionately wrestling before lying down. Bjorn Dihle, Outdoor Life, 21 Sep. 2023 The clash in Washington highlights a question the climate movement has only just begun to wrestle with: In the fight for swift and just climate action, what strategies can create urgency and disruption without blurring enemy lines? Claire Ravenscroft, The New Republic, 21 Sep. 2023 An aspiring luchador who lives in El Paso, Texas, he’s been wrestling on the semi-pro circuit in Ciudad Juárez for a while. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2023 Federal Reserve officials are expected to leave interest rates unchanged at their meeting on Wednesday, buying themselves more time to assess whether borrowing costs are high enough to weigh down the economy and wrestle inflation under control. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023 Seeing young people wrestle with their youthful idealism and then maturing under all these different constraints. Kajsa Kedefors, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023 Johnson last wrestled an impromptu, six-second match at WWE’s WrestleMania 32 event in 2016. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wrestle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrestle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wrestle

Cite this Entry

“Wrestle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrestle. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

wrestle

1 of 2 verb
wres·​tle ˈres-əl How to pronounce wrestle (audio)
wrestled; wrestling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce wrestle (audio)
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 noun

wrestle

2 of 2 noun
: the action or an instance of wrestling

More from Merriam-Webster on wrestle

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