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
Engineers will equip it with specialized tools, including grapples, cutters, and buckets. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026 The script called for her character to throw a wine glass toward Isaac’s head, escalating things into a grapple with a golf club. — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
OpenAI officials learned of the incident weeks ago but kept it under wraps as executives grappled with the fallout from the July breach of the open source repository Hugging Face, the people said. — Reuters, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026 Liverpool are grappling with the demands of Andoni Iraola’s philosophy, and that has meant playing at a higher tempo. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 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
  • After an introductory conversation, Nomo showed Bednar his grip for the pitch.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • On sale for less than $100 right now, this Abu Garcia combo combines lightweight graphite with an intense grip to offer a rod and reel that works well for beginners and advanced casters alike.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 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
  • Running back If you’re not used to seeing the running back position here, grab a ticket and join the line.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Just like the rest of us that day, most of the dead were just going about such ordinary tasks as showing up for work, grabbing a cup of coffee and traveling on a commercial jetliner, or just trying to lend a hand to people in trouble.
    — Mike Kelly, USA Today, 7 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
  • Gauff knocked the ball into a rectangular expanse of blue, as Jović stood in the doubles alley and doubled over to her knees, trying to catch her breath.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Well, the internet cooked up the idea that the chant originated from late-1800s and early-1900s imagery and stories that depicted Black children being used as bait to catch alligators.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of catch
Noun
  • Those numbers are why City forked out the big bucks to keep hold of the Jamaica international for another four years.
    — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Stifel raised its Microsoft price target to $530 from $450 after meetings with management but maintains a hold.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 4 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 10 Sep. 2026.

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