1
as in wrestling
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 grabbing
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 grappling
Sixth Wall is perhaps a model for a new path forward for IP owners, which are all grappling with the misuse of their characters in new places.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
Commanders are also grappling with surging civilian fuel and commercial airfare costs, adding to the financial strain on a military that depends heavily on both.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 3 June 2026
Like local governments across the state, San Mateo County is grappling with deep uncertainty regarding state and federal funding sources, yet must continue to provide critical services in one of the most unaffordable regions in the country.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
The stadium is now used by people seeking shelter from gangs, who now control key routes to and from the capital, choking off vital supplies in the Caribbean nation grappling with a deepening hunger crisis.
—Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for grappling
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
Commanders are also grappling with surging civilian fuel and commercial airfare costs, adding to the financial strain on a military that depends heavily on both.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 3 June 2026
Like local governments across the state, San Mateo County is grappling with deep uncertainty regarding state and federal funding sources, yet must continue to provide critical services in one of the most unaffordable regions in the country.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
The stadium is now used by people seeking shelter from gangs, who now control key routes to and from the capital, choking off vital supplies in the Caribbean nation grappling with a deepening hunger crisis.
—Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for grappling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grappling
Verb
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So many of the issues that Tuchel has been wrestling with over the past 18 months are the same that Southgate faced.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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For many leadership teams, wrestling with a question this fundamental requires exercising long-dormant strategic muscles that have not been used at full strength in years.—
Carolyn Dewar,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The best know how to play through grabbing or shoving of various degrees.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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Wembanyama finished Game 6 with 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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William Jennings Bryan stepped onto the podium on July 8, 1896, at the Democratic National Convention inside Chicago Coliseum at 63rd Street and Stony Island Avenue, and demonstrated that reformers could profit from working within the system instead of fighting it.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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The big and heavy fights in the new trailer for gen ATLAS (shown below) really remind me of fighting various large enemies in Gigantic Drive.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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As many as 7 in 10 of those operators blamed tight visa rules, vetting of immigrants and a spike in the cost of catching a flight into the United States, brought on by the Iran war, as reasons for the lousy booking rates.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
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The Baltimore native dropped a rap video that is catching the eye of more than a million people.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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She was booked and charged with two counts of battery, robbery by snatching and criminal mischief.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
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Five people were arrested last week after a months-long investigation into a series of chain-snatching robberies in San Francisco, police said on Wednesday.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Syrian authorities regularly boast of seizing weapons headed for Lebanon.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
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Still, seizing ships doesn’t seem like a very effective way to fill the Treasury’s coffers, and embracing freebooting carries risks besides financial ones.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The first stage of making a film is capturing it.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
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Many of them were capturing ordinary moments of her parents Pat and Jerry Dykeman.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Both Landman and The Madison have been renewed for new seasons, with Landman heading into its third and The Madison getting a second, but the Landman stars could not divulge any details about what to anticipate in season 3.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
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But getting the shoes, walking around in my spare time in New York in heels, which Carolyn does in the show and Sarah Pidgeon does not.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grappling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grappling. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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