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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of grapples
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 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
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
Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
While wondering if his beloved will ever return, Jesse also grapples with grief, paranoia and family drama.
—Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The series really grapples with the media invasion that swirled around them.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
As Rose grapples with the gaps in her memory, the two encounter danger and violence.
—The Know, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
But it's seen a temporary reprieve on the purchasing of some Russian oil amid the war with Iran, as the world grapples with high oil prices.
—Richard Escobedo, CBS News, 31 May 2026
El Nino meets Iran To make matters worse, 2026’s Super El Nino hits right as Asia grapples with a fuel crisis sparked by the outbreak of the Iran war earlier this year.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 28 May 2026
In a morose Season 2, the group, now shrunken to a fivesome, with Ginny and her baby sometimes in tow, grapples with life after Nick and what their respective next chapters might bring.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 28 May 2026
As the United States’ biggest domestic producer of memory chips, Micron’s gains come as the company itself grapples with demand for its product.
—Mark Dee
may 27, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
Noun
Engineers will equip it with specialized tools, including grapples, cutters, and buckets.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 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
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
Similarly, Debra Johnson, who was also appointed CEO of the Regional Transportation District in Denver in the midst of Covid-19, recently announced her plans to exit as the agency grapples with safety concerns and declining ridership.
—Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
While wondering if his beloved will ever return, Jesse also grapples with grief, paranoia and family drama.
—Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The series really grapples with the media invasion that swirled around them.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
As Rose grapples with the gaps in her memory, the two encounter danger and violence.
—The Know, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
But it's seen a temporary reprieve on the purchasing of some Russian oil amid the war with Iran, as the world grapples with high oil prices.
—Richard Escobedo, CBS News, 31 May 2026
El Nino meets Iran To make matters worse, 2026’s Super El Nino hits right as Asia grapples with a fuel crisis sparked by the outbreak of the Iran war earlier this year.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 28 May 2026
In a morose Season 2, the group, now shrunken to a fivesome, with Ginny and her baby sometimes in tow, grapples with life after Nick and what their respective next chapters might bring.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 28 May 2026
As the United States’ biggest domestic producer of memory chips, Micron’s gains come as the company itself grapples with demand for its product.
—Mark Dee
may 27, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapples
Noun
-
Eldest daughter Abby is recently divorced, and coming to grips with being a single mother, while Paige is an ambitious NYC publicist thrown completely out of her element in Wyoming.—
Cat Cardenas,
Variety,
10 June 2026
-
Breakfasts are vast and need a Mimosa to get to grips with.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Ten years after the shooting, survivors who spoke to CNN detailed their complicated – and still unfolding – recoveries, as well as their struggles with the guilt of living through the attack that took the lives of lovers, relatives and close friends.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
-
But behind those struggles lies a system under strain, where staffing shortages, thin provider margins, low worker pay and rapid regional growth have created pressure at nearly every level.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The officer then wrestles the woman to the ground.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
-
If Kittle wrestles a crocodile down under, who is winning?—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Your Cholesterol Levels May Improve Oatmeal contains beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber that grabs onto cholesterol and carries it out of your body.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Journalists assume that Cinetic has the best taste, grabs the top films out of festivals, and executes with finesse.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
10 Dec. 2025
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
-
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
By 1735, rowdy games of foot-ball were already associated with political rivalries in Boston.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Theo catches strays There were a lot of good-natured jokes about how Theo Campbell and Olivia's then-unborn son had crossed the finish line in first place during a final while Theo has yet to do so.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Dec. 2025
-
But as Nora and Leonard grow more comfortable with one another, their budding relationship catches the attention of Leonard’s father, who is wary of Nora’s lower class background.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Despite the scale of the war at hand, which involves aerial battles between dragon riders as well as giant troops of warriors on land and sea, much of the action Rhaenyra has been involved in is interpersonal — at least so far.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
-
The first 45 minutes were something of a slog as both teams failed to capitalize on any great opportunities and spent much of their time in battles at the midfield.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grapples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapples. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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