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
Relevance
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
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
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Sophie considers accepting a position elsewhere in light of everything that has happened, while Benedict grapples with what choosing Sophie could mean for his social standing.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The district hopes these resources will help keep families in the district as Austin ISD grapples with recent enrollment losses.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
Like every other long-running media institution, the BBC as a whole actively grapples with the existential challenge of attracting younger audiences, but remarkably, In Our Time has always been good with that demographic.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Tracing Bundy’s reign of terror over the years, Rule grapples with the contradictions of the killer.
—Rebecca Hannigan, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Chick-fil-A’s marketing blitz comes as the restaurant industry grapples with sliding traffic.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
Saks Global, the parent company of Neiman Marcus, announced on Friday its chief executive would step aside as the company grapples with financial strains associated with its 2024 acquisition of the iconic Dallas retailer.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Its search comes as the city of Clearwater grapples with how to draw visitors to its quiet downtown, where entities connected to the Church of Scientology have snapped up prime real estate and left it fallow.
—Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
Nina McConigley’s How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder grapples with these ideas, riffing on the idea of overthrow by narrowing the focus from national boundaries to familial ones.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Sophie considers accepting a position elsewhere in light of everything that has happened, while Benedict grapples with what choosing Sophie could mean for his social standing.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The district hopes these resources will help keep families in the district as Austin ISD grapples with recent enrollment losses.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
Like every other long-running media institution, the BBC as a whole actively grapples with the existential challenge of attracting younger audiences, but remarkably, In Our Time has always been good with that demographic.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Tracing Bundy’s reign of terror over the years, Rule grapples with the contradictions of the killer.
—Rebecca Hannigan, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Chick-fil-A’s marketing blitz comes as the restaurant industry grapples with sliding traffic.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
Saks Global, the parent company of Neiman Marcus, announced on Friday its chief executive would step aside as the company grapples with financial strains associated with its 2024 acquisition of the iconic Dallas retailer.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Its search comes as the city of Clearwater grapples with how to draw visitors to its quiet downtown, where entities connected to the Church of Scientology have snapped up prime real estate and left it fallow.
—Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapples
Noun
-
Bitter cold grips much of the nation Meanwhile, bitter cold followed in the storm’s wake.—
Charlotte Kramon,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The slim, precision wand grips even the straightest lashes, creating a wide-awake, lash-lift effect in just one coat.—
Olivia Cefalu,
InStyle,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After years of struggles with hearing loss, Bonnie Covey's personal story of restoration has helped others with their complications.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
-
For those two teams and the Pacers, the absence of a talented player(s) from the year prior led to their struggles.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This season, silence is louder than words, loyalties are tested, and as each woman wrestles with the past, not everyone will make it to the other side the same.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The police officer then wrestles Newman to the ground, and no shots are fired.—
Kate Reilly,
NBC news,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Video shows that in the seconds before Pretti is shot, the 37-year-old ICU nurse grabs the observer’s backpack when he is pulled to the ground by a group of agents.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The officer grabs Pretti’s shirt at his chest, pulling him back toward the vehicle as Pretti’s arms flail.—
Michael Biesecker,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 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
-
So brace yourselves for the regional rivalries.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets will meet again tonight in a matchup that remains one of the NBA's most heated rivalries, even as both franchises enter a rebuilding phase.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The backstory Faena New York occupies the East Tower of One High Line—a sculptural work by Bjarke Ingels Group whose twisting geometric design catches sunlight like a prism.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Sophie’s wonderment at the ornate environment catches Benedict’s attention.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After stepping through a giant wooden door, tall grass teems with wild Pokémon, adorable critters strike charming poses and battles break out between fierce opponents.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
-
ByteDance’s focus on AI ByteDance also has other battles to fight.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grapples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapples. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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