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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of grapple
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
29 June 2026
Investors face growing exposure to tech companies grappling with escalating online child safety risks, a concern shared by 99% of Americans demanding stronger regulation.
—
Bhakti Mirchandani,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
The department is sharing clips of recent incidents stemming from spring break chaos, earning hundreds of thousands of views as officials throughout the Sunshine State grapple with another year of college students descending on their city’s beaches.
—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
Since then, Rodríguez has governed as acting president while attempting to stabilize a deeply fractured country grappling with economic collapse, weakened institutions and persistent security threats.
—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
29 June 2026
Investors face growing exposure to tech companies grappling with escalating online child safety risks, a concern shared by 99% of Americans demanding stronger regulation.
—
Bhakti Mirchandani,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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In recent days, after Museveni was sworn in for a seventh consecutive term, Kainerugaba has strengthened his grip with a series of directives and orders usually reserved for the head of state.
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Adidas Virginia Watermoc is a slip-on shoe with all the appearances of grip and water dispersion.
Noun
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Thomas, 25, has seen limited playing time this season due to some offensive struggles.
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Carvalho’s struggles included a three-day strike in March 2023.
Verb
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While both parties have long wrestled with warring factions in their ranks, the ideological rift is on full display this year, especially among Democrats, as democratic socialists test just how far to the left voters are willing to go.
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Elaine Ferguson, co-founder of W5 Technologies, is wrestling with how to deal with crippling RAM costs and lead times for the communications equipment her company makes for defense contractors.
Verb
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Video of the incident showed the professor grabbing and twisting the arm of the pro-Palestinian student.
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As police tried to handcuff Sever, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said Sever swung at troopers and forcefully grabbed at a trooper's duty weapon, which was secured in a holster.
Noun
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As a result, those at the entry level are expected to have a more mature grasp of these skills, according to PwC’s latest AI jobs report, which looked at more than a billion job ads across the globe.
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With a goal in the 92nd minute of this match, and only roughly three minutes left in stoppage time, Canada can feel the round of 16 within its grasp.
Noun
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Riff argued the issue to halt the payout was not a legal battle but rather a political one.
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While the first half of the match was full of battles and speed runs from one goal to another, the players seem to be taking a more methodical pace after returning from the locker room.
Verb
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Maxxine battled back, but Raquel caught a spinning kick attempt and stuck Maxxine with a Tejana Bomb for the win.
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Officers were stationed at exit routes, aimed at catching the participants.
Noun
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Broward County government had talked about making a bid for the building, amid the shops and restaurants of Dania Pointe, but that is unlikely to happen after leaders put that idea on hold.
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The judge also noted the defendant currently has an immigration hold.
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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