grappling

noun

grap·​pling ˈgra-p(ə-)liŋ 

1

: grapnel

2

: grappling hook

Examples of grappling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The country had spent the last decade grappling with a war between the state and the myriad narco-terrorist cartels. — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 1 July 2026

Lightweight's top tier is even more grappling-heavy than featherweight's, so the same vulnerabilities that hurt him at 145 could follow him up. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Because Swift has no docking ports or grappling fixtures to grab onto, Katalyst built its 880-pound, 5-foot tall LINK spacecraft with a custom robotic capture mechanism that will attach to a feature on the satellite’s main structure. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 June 2026

Men grappling and kicking, throwing elbows and punching, giving each other bloody noses, black eyes, and—surely, occasionally—concussions. — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grappling

• grappling hook

Rhymes for grappling

• sapling