1
a
: the act or an instance of grappling
b
: a hand-to-hand struggle
locked in a desperate grapple with his foe
c
: a contest for superiority or mastery
their grapple with tyranny
2
: an instrument for grabbing or gripping something: such as
a
: a bucket (as on an excavating machine) having hinged jaws
b
grappled; grappling
ˈgra-p(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to seize with or as if with a grapple (see grapple entry 1 sense 2)
2
: to grasp with the hands : wrestle
3
: to bind closely
1
: to make a ship fast with a grappling hook
2
: to begin to understand or deal with something in a direct or effective way
Officials grappled with an increase in violent crimes.
3
: to use a grapple
Examples of grapple in a Sentence
Noun
was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match
after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair
Verb
two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears
a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water
Recent Examples on the Web
Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The cancellations represent a blow to vaccination and public health efforts in the Kansas City area – and come as Kansas grapples with a measles outbreak that’s infected at least 23 people.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2025
Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Clinics, meanwhile, grapple with strict 340B compliance requirements—often without adequate staff or tools to manage efficiently.
—Craig Lebrau, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
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Noun
As the aviation industry grapples with environmental concerns, innovations like the BYA-1 may prove crucial in achieving zero-carbon goals by 2050.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The cancellations represent a blow to vaccination and public health efforts in the Kansas City area – and come as Kansas grapples with a measles outbreak that’s infected at least 23 people.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
The United States stands at an economic crossroads, grappling with a $36 trillion national debt, escalating tariff disputes, and a job market under strain.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Clinics, meanwhile, grapple with strict 340B compliance requirements—often without adequate staff or tools to manage efficiently.
—Craig Lebrau, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapple. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grapple
2 of 2 verb
grappled; grappling
ˈgrap-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to seize or hold with or as if with a hooked instrument
2
: to seize and struggle with one another
3
: to attempt to deal
grappled with a problem
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