1
as in wrestled
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
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2
as in grabbed
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grappled
The country has for decades grappled with complex security challenges, particularly Islamist insurgencies such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State.
—
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
So far, Indianapolis has not seen widespread flight delays or long security lines at the airport, even as bigger cities have grappled with travel chaos.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
In contrast, outgoing chief Jennings has remained out of public eye in recent months as the city has grappled with these discussions.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 31 Oct. 2025
In another case, a judge has grappled with issues of parental rights.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2025
So, excited headlines about a blossoming romance between them certainly creates a narrative that distracts from all the negative news each has grappled with recently.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
The couple explored waterways in Britain and abroad while Scales grappled with her dementia.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
In those early days, even with needs piling up, wealthy donors and private foundations grappled with how to respond.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
The shutdown has compounded long-standing issues at the Federal Aviation Administration, which has grappled with significant staffing crunches for years.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
So far, Indianapolis has not seen widespread flight delays or long security lines at the airport, even as bigger cities have grappled with travel chaos.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
In contrast, outgoing chief Jennings has remained out of public eye in recent months as the city has grappled with these discussions.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 31 Oct. 2025
In another case, a judge has grappled with issues of parental rights.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2025
So, excited headlines about a blossoming romance between them certainly creates a narrative that distracts from all the negative news each has grappled with recently.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
The couple explored waterways in Britain and abroad while Scales grappled with her dementia.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
In those early days, even with needs piling up, wealthy donors and private foundations grappled with how to respond.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
The shutdown has compounded long-standing issues at the Federal Aviation Administration, which has grappled with significant staffing crunches for years.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grappled
Verb
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The mental gymnastics felt very familiar to how Republicans wrestled themselves to yes with Trump a decade ago.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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Tala, who also wrestled under the name Leigh Laurel, was a part of the WWE system.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Shakarna grabbed her medication and headed to try to reach her, fearing for her life.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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But like de Blasio did 12 years earlier, Mamdani identified the growing crisis of unaffordability as the city's most pressing problem and grabbed attention − especially from the young and online − by promising to address it.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Secure loose outdoor items and adjust plans as necessary so you're not caught outside.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Police previously said a 2011 Infiniti G37 sedan crashed on the I-30 service road and caught fire.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The London punk rebels seized the revolutionary spirit of 1977 with their raw manifesto The Clash, then refined their sound with the flawed Give ‘Em Enough Rope.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
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Government security forces seized 1,764 tonnes of cocaine between August 2022 and November 2024, followed by a further 601 tonnes between January and August 2025.—
Gustavo Petro,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After becoming an Internet sensation (and an art-world provocateur), the toilet moved to England in 2019, where a trio of thieves snatched it from the birthplace of Winston Churchill in a crime straight out of the board game Clue.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2025
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Japan says at least 17 of its citizens were snatched by North Korean agents in the late 1970s and 1980s.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Schuldiner and his bandmates fine-tuned and tightened the sound on subsequent albums, hitting a high water mark on 1991’s Human, which landed at Number 70 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
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Kirkland’s pedigree landed her on her feet at that latter sartorial institution.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The vehicle reportedly sped into a shopping plaza, where the incident — captured on video — unfolded.—
Bonny Chu , Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Among the artists captured in the images are Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker.—
Amy Carleton,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grappled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grappled. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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