grappling

1 of 2

noun

grap·​pling ˈgra-p(ə-)liŋ 

1

: grapnel

2

: grappling hook

grappling

2 of 2

present participle of grapple entry 2

Examples of grappling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Riz Ahmed, John Goodman and Sandra Hüller also star in Digger, which centers on Cruise’s audacious oil tycoon grappling with having started a natural disaster. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

In a story based on his Staten Island upbringing, the comic plays Scott, a 24-year-old high school dropout grappling with the loss of his firefighter father, who died in a blaze when Scott was 7. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

Lastly, the album has this theme of grappling with the nature of love and selfhood. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026

The Brazilian scored an early takedown and sought to keep the champion on the mat, attempting to turn the fight into a grappling and ground-and-pound battle. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grappling

• grappling hook

Rhymes for grappling

• sapling