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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
In an interview conducted Friday by AP from outside Iran, Mohammadi said Iranians are grappling with multiple crises stemming from the war and deepening economic pressure. — Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026 But his government is grappling with a weak economy, and many voters who had hoped the former corporate executive would fix that have become disillusioned with delays in implementing financial and tax reforms. — CBS News, 20 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
  • One panel was falling, then smashing on the path, lead relinquishing its long grip on the glass.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Blood work showed significant increases in serotonin, melatonin and nitric oxide concentrations, and exercise testing showed gains in grip strength and reaction time.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of grip
Noun
  • Second-half struggles The Hurricanes come out like gangbusters on offense in the first half, scoring on five of their first six drives.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
  • While Sara was working through her struggles, her mom was having her own existential crisis about what she’d be inspired to do next.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • As the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris’ newfound bond with a pair of students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to send everyone’s trip sideways.
    — Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
  • This fissure triggered one of the 21st century’s bloodiest wars in 2020 when federal forces attempted to wrestle control of the large province of Tigray, leaving up to 600,000 dead by the time a ceasefire deal was signed two years later.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrestle
Verb
  • An urge strong enough to pull me away from the kitchen, grab my computer, and steal a table outside to scribble out my thoughts.
    — Samantha Rees, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The video then shows the deputy grabbing the wallet and opening it, showing Bolduc and the bodycam the contents.
    — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of grab
Noun
  • The government has declined to provide an explanation of how Diamantis managed to slip their grasp and make his way to Florida, the Bahamas, London, and Greece.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Polls open for the Duma ballot on 18 September – the first parliamentary election since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine – and, despite ever greater public opposition to the war, Vladimir Putin’s grasp on power is unlikely to be shaken.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of grasp
Noun
  • There will be recruiting battles and NIL headaches and portal defections and angry message boards and all the other insanity that comes with coaching at a place where fans consider 9-3 an average record rather than an accomplishment.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The White Sox, meanwhile, are in a neck-and-neck battle with the Cleveland Guardians for the American League Central crown.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of battle
Verb
  • The animal was far from sprinting, instead taking a relaxed stroll at a speed surprisingly comparable to a human walking briskly to catch a bus.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Douglas, who had five catches for 94 yards in the opener, was targeted just three times, catching two for 19 yards and dropping the third.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of catch
Noun
  • After studying the scouting report on the reliever during a pitching change, Jones got a hold of one and crushed a 423-foot, three-run blast in Tuesday’s win.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • That plan nearly came together, but Fincher left the film when budgetary issues arose, and the project was put on hold.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of hold

Phrases Containing grapple

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Cite this Entry

“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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