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
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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
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
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Recent Examples of grapple
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
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
The anti-Christian bias email comes as the VA is also grappling with sweeping cuts to the agency and its workforce.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
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
Dominican immigration crackdown This week, Higgins and others were grappling with another fallout of the health crisis and gang violence.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
The anti-Christian bias email comes as the VA is also grappling with sweeping cuts to the agency and its workforce.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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Her son sported a pair of jeans and a blue shirt, with a pair of white grip socks on his feet.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Russia's grip on these five regions is not internationally recognized.—
Mark Weinstein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Young’s struggles against the Heat continued early in Friday’s contest, scoring 14 points while shooting just 3 of 14 from the field and 1 of 5 on threes through the first three quarters.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
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Keith and Mark Newhouse of Newhouse Creative Group understand these struggles firsthand.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Rockets and Warriors grabbed and clutched and crashed to the court on Wednesday, with the Rockets wrestling a 109-94 victory in Game 2 of the best-of-seven first-round Western Conference series.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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This potential matchup immediately sparked considerable interest among fans, envisioning a unique blend of music and wrestling stardom colliding in the ring.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Antetokounmpo finished the game by scoring 36 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and blocking two shots.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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Police said that once Davis left the apartment, the surviving 10-year-old quickly grabbed her baby brother, locked the door and called for help.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Twice, the Foxes had fourth spot in their grasp, in 2019-20 and 2020-21, only to throw it away.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Even without a cure, Turner says his grasp on life is stronger than ever.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Lorna Romero Ferguson, a Republican political strategist based in Arizona, told the Washington Examiner that both parties are still going to have to battle over redistricting efforts and keep extremist candidates from the ballot box to stay competitive after the 2030 census.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2025
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Barner had a good rookie season and the battle between him and Arroyo will be interesting to watch.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Something about it caught the attention of visiting scientists — and for good reason.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the mayor of Heath, Ohio — where work was paused — caught the city officials by surprise.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Fed officials have forecast two rate cuts this year, but some economists think the Fed will have to stay on hold.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Read also faces a pending wrongful death lawsuit filed by O'Keefe's estate, though those proceedings are on hold until the criminal trial concludes.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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