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
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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
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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
as in to address
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
a medical ethicist who grapples with extremely difficult questions all the time
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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
Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
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
Daniela Avila, People.com, 30 May 2025
Effects on Porsche: The storied sports car maker, which was facing challenges from China and slumping demand for electric cars, now has to grapple with tariffs from the Trump administration.
—Jason Karaian, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
So, as the U.S. travel industry grapples with political and economic challenges, the landscape is shifting dramatically.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
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
Verb
In the statement, Bono, 65, opens up about grappling with fame.
—Daniela Avila, People.com, 30 May 2025
Effects on Porsche: The storied sports car maker, which was facing challenges from China and slumping demand for electric cars, now has to grapple with tariffs from the Trump administration.
—Jason Karaian, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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The long, ergonomic handle is designed for adult hands, ensuring a comfortable grip during feeding sessions.—
Toby Rose,
Parents,
22 May 2025
-
That means proper accounting, clean P&Ls, and a firm grip on metrics like customer acquisition cost and lifetime value.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
Barry Keoghan is sharing something deeply personal about his struggle with sobriety.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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The shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington, D.C., after a Jewish event Wednesday highlights the struggle American cities face trying to protect Jewish citizens and landmarks, which have repeatedly been targeted by radicals and terrorists over the years.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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With firmer dates in hand, Hyland and others will have a better grasp on whether studying colonial khipus can help crack Inca ones.—
Sam Kean,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2025
-
The title was within its grasp but there was no room to slip up – only a win would guarantee the club the Scudetto.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Recently, a German court quietly ended a landmark legal battle that had spanned nearly a decade.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Fires and recovery Crews battle fire burning in Pala, evacuations underway in northern San Diego County.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Noun
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After South Dakota State’s FCS playoff run ended in the semifinals, Gronowski considered entering the NFL Draft and was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl, but his injury was severe enough to require surgery and put his NFL plans on hold.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
Following weekend discussions with EU leaders, those plans were put on hold until July 9.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
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How can the club improve its image around the world, where international fans are less concerned with local rivalries?—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
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This is also a historic rivalry, so that's why so many people are tuning in.—
Ryan Stano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
Noun
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The game had the look of a pitchers’ duel going into the ninth inning with first-place Philadelphia leading 1-0 thanks to a home run from Trea Turner leading off the game.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
24 May 2025
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May departed with the Dodgers trailing 1-0 and was initially in line to be the hard-luck loser of a pitchers’ duel with Burnes, but Hernandez changed that with one swing.—
Kyle Glaser,
Oc Register,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The investigation also recommended fire officers and firefighters be trained in mayday operations, which was another bone of contention for Alston who maintains that all firefighters receive mayday training.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2025
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The first one practically eliminated Maryland from title contention as the Big Red went ahead, 10-7, with 13 minutes and 42 seconds left in the game.—
Mike Preston,
Baltimore Sun,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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