grappling

noun

grap·​pling ˈgra-p(ə-)liŋ 

1

: grapnel

2

: grappling hook

Examples of grappling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Five 17-year-old friends were killed when their vehicle plunged off a cliff and down a steep Colorado hillside, leaving their families and community grappling with an unimaginable loss just as a new school year begins. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Burke was not merely a rising star grappling with new fame, prosecutors contend, but a killer carrying a gruesome secret. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026

This is a side that spent the whole tournament being accused of grappling, time-wasting, and refereeing luck, and then produced a final where its first shot on goal arrived in the 115th minute. — Shann Biglione, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

The world appears united in wanting to see less holding, grappling and wrestling at set plays, but some level of contact should still be allowed. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grappling

• grappling hook

Rhymes for grappling

• sapling