1
as in grip
the act or manner of holding
was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggle
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to wrestle
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
2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of grapple
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 June 2025
As the tech giant grapples with the president’s tariff threats, Americans’ retirement savings have taken a hit, too.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
Gabrielle Chenault, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
College is a time to grapple, in and out of the classrooms.
—Dina Borzekowski, Baltimore Sun, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
Acting star Toby Jones has suggested the UK drama sector is going through an existential crisis as its grapples with developments such as the rise of AI and competition from globals streamers as well as growing income barriers for entry into the creative industries.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 June 2025
As the tech giant grapples with the president’s tariff threats, Americans’ retirement savings have taken a hit, too.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
Verb
The announcement comes as Texas continues to grapple with the aftermath of a catastrophic July 4 flood that claimed more than 120 lives around the Guadalupe River.
—Gabrielle Chenault, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025
College is a time to grapple, in and out of the classrooms.
—Dina Borzekowski, Baltimore Sun, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
21 July 2025
-
Reuniting with his godson (Finn), a streetwise enforcer entangled with a powerful crime syndicate, the two hatch a high-stakes heist in a desperate bid to escape the grip of a ruthless mob boss (Gooding Jr.).—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
21 July 2025
Noun
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More struggles result in prosperity Another fight would also call for Jones' leadership in action.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
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In another, Paramount is reading the writing on the wall, as late-night and network television writ large struggle to keep up with streaming.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
Grid managers, utility companies and regulators, meanwhile, are wrestling with how to meet the growing demand while keeping the power supply affordable and reliable.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
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Final passage in the House was delayed for several hours as Republicans wrestled with their response to Democrats’ push for a vote on the release of Jeffrey Epstein files.—
Kevin Freking,
Chicago Tribune,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Leave your troubles behind and grab a lime, because Thursday is National Tequila Day.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
-
Concerned, the roommates grabbed golf clubs from one of the first-floor bedrooms and checked the house for a possible intruder.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Noun
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As the communist leader Robert Mugabe is elected, his declarations empower Africans to take up residence on the farmland, and her imperialist grasp slips, the beginning of the end for this family here.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
12 July 2025
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The country greatly appreciated Jóhannesson’s grasp of the context and his insightful and entertaining commentary.—
Karl Moore,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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The injuries that eventually cut the third baseman’s career short began to take hold right before Forde lost a years-long battle with breast cancer.—
Abbey Mastracco,
Hartford Courant,
19 July 2025
-
There was a long legal battle, that went on for years.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
19 July 2025
Verb
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Scannell also said that his dogs as well as one of his neighbors suffered respiratory problems after one of the project's contractors — who was later fired — was caught dumping debris out of the building's windows.—
JC Reindl,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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This round of activity, meanwhile, is expected to stretch further south, giving more states a chance at catching a glimpse of the colorful display.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
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The bitcoin price is up around 60% from its April lows, helped by U.S. president Donald Trump’s support of bitcoin and crypto even as the Federal Reserve keeps interest rates on hold.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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Speculation about the Dutch driver's Mercedes move began after George Russell admitted that his Mercedes contract extension was on hold due to the team's ongoing talks with Verstappen.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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