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
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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
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
Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025
The Conference Realignment Ripple Effect As the NCAA grapples with name, image, and likeness policies, transfer portal dynamics, and mounting mental health concerns, the 2024/25 season also brought with it major conference realignments.
—Claire Poole, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Outside of pipeline issues, Novo Nordisk and the rest of the pharmaceutical industry are grappling with the Trump administration’s ambitions to lower drug prices and bring manufacturing to the U.S.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
Dope Thief’s Ray, for instance, grapples with a complicated relationship with his father, who was absent for much of his life.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025
The Conference Realignment Ripple Effect As the NCAA grapples with name, image, and likeness policies, transfer portal dynamics, and mounting mental health concerns, the 2024/25 season also brought with it major conference realignments.
—Claire Poole, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
But the raid appears to be part of a pattern of farm attacks that has persisted for years in South Africa, a country grappling with one of the world’s highest murder rates.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Outside of pipeline issues, Novo Nordisk and the rest of the pharmaceutical industry are grappling with the Trump administration’s ambitions to lower drug prices and bring manufacturing to the U.S.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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Painstakingly designed over the last three years, the Backbone Pro is instantly recognizable, with that trapezoidal profile, but the grips are larger, comfier, and grippier, the thumbsticks are full size, and there's a new pair of programmable back buttons.—
Julian Chokkattu,
Wired News,
10 May 2025
-
Jury selection is underway, and as the trial continues to ramp up, its grip on our culture will likely only grow stronger.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Noun
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Denver won Game 3 because Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each scored at least 20 points, which went a long way toward subduing the struggles of Jokić.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
-
Amid this struggle, Brianna has contemplated the legacies that many think of when considering their mothers.—
Maquita Peters,
NPR,
11 May 2025
Verb
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Physicists have long wrestled with a basic question: What are space and time?—
Lorraine Berry,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
-
Beyond championships, Natalya holds several WWE records for female superstars, including the most pay-per-view appearances, most matches wrestled, and most wins.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Combs returns to the scene shortly thereafter and appears to grab at the phone.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
-
The third assistant director, referred to as Sarah, described Depardieu grabbing her buttocks and breasts on two separate occasions on set.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Undertaking this transformation requires a firm grasp of agentic AI, knowledge of its applications in finance activities and, most importantly, a solid game plan linked to the overall talent strategy.—
Jim DeLoach,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
Joan Benoit: The younger generation has a grasp on gender identity in a way that my generation never did.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
9 May 2025
Noun
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As a 60-person battle royale, matches can be extremely long and, in tournament play, repeat over and over for hours until a winning team can be crowned.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2025
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One scene sure to be an audience favorite has David and his antagonist facing off on either side of the glass wall in a recording studio, sparking a hilarious impromptu rap battle of sorts.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2025
Verb
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In Barca’s 4-0 win in La Liga against Madrid at the Bernabeu in October, Madrid were caught offside 12 times.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
-
This is a great UFC Fight Night that will not disappoint; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 May 2025
Noun
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Power dynamics, past sacrifices (like one partner putting their career on hold) and trust issues all resurface during this stage.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
-
The Trump administration had filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court after rulings from a pair of federal judges put the ban on hold.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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