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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grapple
Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Four days of grapples, reversals and takedowns are on deck at Grand Casino Arena.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Growth in industrial output and retail sales slowed as producers and buyers grappled with higher energy prices stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
Ritchson's 81 grapples with a severe case of survivor's guilt after watching his brother die in Afghanistan.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Four days of grapples, reversals and takedowns are on deck at Grand Casino Arena.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
Indeed, ethicists are grappling with a potential future in which the point of fetal viability is pushed all the way back to day one.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Growth in industrial output and retail sales slowed as producers and buyers grappled with higher energy prices stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
-
This weekend is an opportunity for Barcelona to even out the series and tighten their grip as a generational dynasty, or for OL Lyonnes, who’ve not lifted a Champions League trophy in four years, to reassert themselves as European legends.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
The dual-class share structure ensures that going public will not meaningfully dilute Musk’s grip on the company.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
In vitro fertilization is a medical procedure that can be used to address several infertility struggles.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
-
Jarrett Allen, much maligned for past playoff struggles, dominated the Pistons with 23 points, seven rebounds, completely outmatching Detroit’s Jalen Duren.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Fortunately the wig has had a second outing with Fouracres donning it again in Episode 7, when his parody Attenborough turned up to wrestle a discontented rhino during Weekend Update.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
The renowned Federalist Papers of the late 1780s, 85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, wrestled with this exact debate.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Denise ascended the stairs, yelling at Djena all the way up, then grabbed Djena by the collar and began hitting her.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Continuously setting industry standards and re-imagining what cruise travel can be, the company manages to maintain its Dutch roots and history while keeping a firm grasp on modern travel trends.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
No one really has a good grasp of … [its] mid- to long-term impact.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Decades-long legal battle The Supreme Court decision to overturn Glossip’s conviction and death sentence last year marked a major turning point in his decades-long legal battle.—
Linh Tran,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
But the frenzied redistricting battle of the past few months — including a congressional map in his home state thrown out by a court after people voted to approve it, and certain elections postponed in Louisiana and Alabama after mail ballots already went out — has done it.—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
In that game, with the Eagles beating the New England Patriots 41-33 to win their first Super Bowl, Foles became the first player to throw and catch for a touchdown in the event’s history.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
One night, into the bar wanders Angel (Rosemarie DeWitt), who looks as caught in the ’40s as Joe is.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
At one point, Denise found the book and forced Djena to return it, but Djena got hold of it again, and used it to make flash cards.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Shortstop Shae Anderson couldn’t get a hold of the ball fast enough to throw to first base, and the error allowed Lamar to reach base.—
Haley Sawyer,
Daily News,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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