1
as in grips
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 struggles
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 wrestles
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 grabs
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 grapples
Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Four days of grapples, reversals and takedowns are on deck at Grand Casino Arena.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
As the entertainment industry in general and Hollywood in particular grapples with the heartbreaking deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner over the weekend, tributes to the beloved couple continue to pour in far and wide.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2025
How One Battle After Another grapples with the best ways to wage a revolution.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
The matches are intense, with powerful throws and strategic grapples, and the crowd's energy adds to the electric atmosphere.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Ghesquière said the approach stood out as fashion grapples with the advances of new technologies.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have all hiked the fee to check a bag in the past two weeks as the industry grapples with a jump in jet fuel expenses from the war in the Middle East.
—Michele Luhn, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
For svn4vr, a devout Christian whose music grapples with the demands of faith, the impulsive workflow conveys a religious fervor.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
But corporate spending on wellness is in the crosshairs as Asia grapples with softer global demand and higher costs.
—Alice Williams, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
San Francisco city officials announced Monday that 127 workers are receiving layoff notices, as the city grapples with a nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Cuban authorities began releasing more than 2,000 political prisoners, a possible olive branch for Washington as the nation grapples with a crippling economic blockade.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026
The chain, which competes with longtime leader AMC Theatres as well as Regal, has made market share gains of late to about 15 percent of domestic box office as AMC grapples with its debt load and Regal emerges from bankruptcy protection under new leadership.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
Micro-communities are sprouting around Sacramento as the city grapples with homelessness.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
Four days of grapples, reversals and takedowns are on deck at Grand Casino Arena.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
As the entertainment industry in general and Hollywood in particular grapples with the heartbreaking deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner over the weekend, tributes to the beloved couple continue to pour in far and wide.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2025
How One Battle After Another grapples with the best ways to wage a revolution.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
The matches are intense, with powerful throws and strategic grapples, and the crowd's energy adds to the electric atmosphere.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Ghesquière said the approach stood out as fashion grapples with the advances of new technologies.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Kimbanguist Church’s principles of nonviolence, equality and social organization offer a potential model for Congo as the nation grapples with territorial instability and seeks unity among its leaders and citizens.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have all hiked the fee to check a bag in the past two weeks as the industry grapples with a jump in jet fuel expenses from the war in the Middle East.
—Michele Luhn, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
For svn4vr, a devout Christian whose music grapples with the demands of faith, the impulsive workflow conveys a religious fervor.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
But corporate spending on wellness is in the crosshairs as Asia grapples with softer global demand and higher costs.
—Alice Williams, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
San Francisco city officials announced Monday that 127 workers are receiving layoff notices, as the city grapples with a nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Cuban authorities began releasing more than 2,000 political prisoners, a possible olive branch for Washington as the nation grapples with a crippling economic blockade.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026
The chain, which competes with longtime leader AMC Theatres as well as Regal, has made market share gains of late to about 15 percent of domestic box office as AMC grapples with its debt load and Regal emerges from bankruptcy protection under new leadership.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
Micro-communities are sprouting around Sacramento as the city grapples with homelessness.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapples
Noun
-
The grips take a little getting used to, though.—
Joe Salas
April 07,
New Atlas,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Whereas the Lexus yoke is shaped like a butterfly and Tesla’s yoke was half a rectangle, Mercedes has removed both the upper and lower portions of a traditional round steering wheel and closed off both sides of the grips.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Meta suggested that Kaley’s mental-health struggles were attributable not to social-media addiction but, rather, to her mother’s emotional and physical abuse and neglect, and that Kaley’s social-media use was not the source of her troubles but a way to cope with them.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The mayor last December went on to lose a historic budget vote, in what one ally declared was a return of the 1980s Council Wars – a reference to the struggles of former Mayor Harold Washington.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is definitely something that every fan wrestles with.—
Dan Shanoff,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
At left, Nora wrestles Jefferson’s Ella Hughes during the finals of the 135-pound weight class.—
Jason Getz,
AJC.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This hearty dish grabs extra flavor from browning the pork chops very well in the skillet in order to produce a flavorful pan sauce with mustard and cream.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Think about how many times a day everyone in your household touches a light switch or grabs the remote.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Through universal intelligent manipulation, the robot autonomously plans grasps, adjusts force in real time, and navigates obstacles using seamless hand–eye coordination.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Timoja had been misinformed that the ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah, had died, leaving behind a young and inexperienced successor, and that internal rivalries among Deccan rulers had further weakened Goa.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Joy Randolph catches the camera with a side-eye at the Beef season 2 premiere in Los Angeles on April 8.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The nurse who catches the wrong transcription.—
Maria Noel Fernandez,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This year’s Supreme Court election stands in stark contrast to the swing state’s previous two, where national spending records were set in battles over majority control.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grapples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapples. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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