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
Synonyms
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
Sophie Hanson, StyleCaster, 24 June 2024
Those obligations would tack onto an already extensive list as Spokane grapples with a $50 million structural deficit heading into the 2025 budget process.
—Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 June 2024
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 June 2024
The emergency response to the flooding comes as Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for all-out efforts to safeguard lives and property, as China grapples with extreme weather with heavy rains in the south and severe drought and record temperatures in the north.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for grapple 
Noun
As the British royal family grapples with two cancer diagnoses, another senior member has found themselves in hospital.
—Sophie Hanson, StyleCaster, 24 June 2024
Those obligations would tack onto an already extensive list as Spokane grapples with a $50 million structural deficit heading into the 2025 budget process.
—Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 June 2024
Verb
At the center is Leonard Lambert (Glen), a devoted husband and father who grapples with protecting his family amidst the chaos of war as German forces advance to their village.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 June 2024
The emergency response to the flooding comes as Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for all-out efforts to safeguard lives and property, as China grapples with extreme weather with heavy rains in the south and severe drought and record temperatures in the north.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for grapple
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grapple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near grapple
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapple. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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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