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
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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
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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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of grapple
Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Sam, understandably, grapples with this nagging thought for the entire episode.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
The gatekeeping reportedly has gone so far as to limit top Cabinet officials’ access to Biden, even as the United States grapples with wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
—Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grapple 
Noun
As the American Southwest grapples with a historic water crisis, some advocacy groups, such as the Glen Canyon Institute (GCI), propose drastic measures like to address the diminishing flow of the Colorado River.
—Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Sam, understandably, grapples with this nagging thought for the entire episode.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
For readers grappling with the rapid pace of modern life or seeking solace in a moment of uncertainty, A Psalm for the Wild-Built offers a balm.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
The gatekeeping reportedly has gone so far as to limit top Cabinet officials’ access to Biden, even as the United States grapples with wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
—Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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Can the art of opera ever escape the suffocating grip of its magnificent past?Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
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Second, the individual struggles of a player who is caught in the grip of a crisis, both on the pitch and off it.Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Winter is in full swing in the Gaza Strip, and every day is a struggle to survive for children displaced by violence and living in makeshift tents.Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
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After a brief struggle, the man pulled out a gun and shot Horan, before leaving the scene by car at about 11 a.m., according to a news release from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).Alexandra Koch, Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Food deserts, redlining, a lack of green space and chronic underinvestment in BIPOC communities all play a part in making our Black and Brown neighbors more likely to wrestle with serious chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.Jeremy Cooney, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
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This training was so essential to Boston Scientific that the company wrestled with whether to cancel a September class at the Health Science Center after learning about its use of unclaimed bodies.Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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When the clock strikes midnight, grab one of these eight crackers and pop it to show your excitement for the start of 2025.Christopher Murray, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
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With the star ready to explode into life — and threatening to engulf the Earth in the process — Joy grabs the briefcase and absorbs the seed into herself.Richard Edwards, Space.com, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Seabright assures us that Grace has a solid grasp of her finances and explains that there is an economic logic to this.Christian Stadler, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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The data once again shows how housing was more easily in the grasp of middle-class Austin earners decades ago.Sami Sparber, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Therefore, in a sense, the battle to finish second is almost the most interesting thing — and these days, that’s usually Real Madrid.Michael Cox, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
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His success at the battle paved the way for subsequent victories that would eventually lead to the downfall of the Persian Achaemenid Empire.Newsweek, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Well, the guy who caught it is still on the team: Arian Smith, who has also struggled the most with drops.Seth Emerson, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
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Your contribution will help UNICEF reach children caught in emergencies.Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Last week, Bank of America upgraded the stock to buy from hold.Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024
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If the high court takes the case, the injunction would almost certainly be in place — and thus the ban on hold — until the justices hear and decide the dispute.Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near grapple
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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