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grapple 1 of 2

noun

ˈgra-pəl How to pronounce grapple (audio)
Definition of grapplenext
1
as in grip
the act or manner of holding was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair

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grapple

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears

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2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of grapple
Noun
The sloptimists are betting that writing devoid of an inner purpose can rival the stuff ripped out of an author’s chest with a claw grapple. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026 The jump in yields comes as Warsh, who was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, grapples with an increasingly complicated inflation picture. — Jeff Cox,hugh Leask,sean Conlon,lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Verb
Like California, Georgia has been grappling with lower production levels. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The timing comes as retailers still continue to grapple with the cost of serving the last mile. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
  1. grip
  2. struggle
  3. wrestle
  4. grab
  5. grasp
  6. battle
  7. catch
  8. hold
Noun
  • The Ostand phone case features a secure grip design that improves control during one-handed use, movement, outdoor runs, and sweaty-hand scenarios.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026
  • From Jonathan Allen to Bryan Cook to Boye Mafe to Cashius Howell to Lawrence, everybody had a hand in it — usually one ripping at Baker Mayfield’s grip on the football.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of grip
Noun
  • Countries with far smaller digital ecosystems, like Cambodia and Laos, have even greater struggles to attract and retain AI talent.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Underwood wasn’t Michigan’s only problem, but his struggles were impossible to ignore.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • Their leaders, gathered for a summit in Palau this week, are wrestling once more with the question of how tiny countries with little global power can use major polluters’ geopolitical interest in their region to secure a chance of survival.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One year after her passing, Miquel wrestles with grief, desire, and the weight of change as the construction of a new bridge stands to open up his remote village.
    — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrestle
Verb
  • Emmys nights one and two saw Widow’s Bay pick up a whopping eight trophies, one short of The Studio’s total of nine last year, and this evening might end with Widow’s Bay grabbing a lot of the same awards The Studio did last year.
    — Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers have long recognized that humor can grab attention, deepen social connection, and build attraction.
    — Norbert Schwarz, Harvard Business Review, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of grab
Noun
  • United’s head coach had a face like thunder post-match, and understandably so after his team allowed two points to slip through their grasp in the dying seconds.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In the same way that the ball bounced off Darren Morris’ fingers and disappeared into the crowded Oregon bench, another chance to defeat a Power Four opponent slipped agonizingly through Boise State’s grasp on Saturday afternoon.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of grasp
Noun
  • Don’t shrink to avoid disagreement, but don’t make everything a battle for control either.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Mustafa, who was born in Iraqi Kurdistan and fled to Norway as a child, said the film was inspired by his encounter with a female Peshmerga sniper during the 2014 frontline battles, as female Kurdish fighters countered Islamic State attacks.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of battle
Verb
  • The smart kids, the shy ones, the jokers and the loners — every one of them is caught in the pyroclastic flow of adolescence, every minute a negotiation between fitting in and standing out.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Nesting is always perilous, but the moment when the male and female trade places is especially so, as the incubating bird’s movement may catch the attention of a predator.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of catch
Noun
  • Newcastle can now extract far more money from any potential suitors and will be more confident of keeping hold of Hall now, though the prospect of the England defender leaving has not been entirely extinguished.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The 1st Circuit also had upheld a previous hold Talwani placed on the executive order.
    — NICHOLAS RICCARDI, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of hold

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Cite this Entry

“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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