1
as in wrestled
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
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2
as in grabbed
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grappled
City Hall has for months grappled with fallout from a sweeping criminal probe that thrust into the spotlight another nonprofit leader who worked to combat homelessness.
—
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
District 230 created Carr’s security position in 2024 in an effort to improve district safety as schools across the nation grappled with high-profile safety issues related to technology and mental health.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
The individual who once grappled with learning disabilities emerged into a scholarly critical thinker.
—Jason Jones, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Its cities to the south have long grappled with gaining equal access to emergency healthcare and county services while facing disproportionate need.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
For several decades, Japan has grappled with a declining population.
—Mark Dent, HubSpot, 8 May 2026
The Post also won the feature photography prize for a visual essay on a family welcoming a firstborn as the child’s father grappled with terminal cancer.
—Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
The Post won the feature photography prize, for a visual essay on a family welcoming a firstborn as the child’s father grappled with terminal cancer.
—Jennifer Peltz, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
Meanwhile, ordinary Russians have grappled with high inflation caused by military mobilizations and defense production as well as the Kremlin’s crackdown on internet access to restrict the flow of grim news on the economy and war.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
District 230 created Carr’s security position in 2024 in an effort to improve district safety as schools across the nation grappled with high-profile safety issues related to technology and mental health.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
The individual who once grappled with learning disabilities emerged into a scholarly critical thinker.
—Jason Jones, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Its cities to the south have long grappled with gaining equal access to emergency healthcare and county services while facing disproportionate need.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
For several decades, Japan has grappled with a declining population.
—Mark Dent, HubSpot, 8 May 2026
The Post also won the feature photography prize for a visual essay on a family welcoming a firstborn as the child’s father grappled with terminal cancer.
—Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
The Post won the feature photography prize, for a visual essay on a family welcoming a firstborn as the child’s father grappled with terminal cancer.
—Jennifer Peltz, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
Meanwhile, ordinary Russians have grappled with high inflation caused by military mobilizations and defense production as well as the Kremlin’s crackdown on internet access to restrict the flow of grim news on the economy and war.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grappled
Verb
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The renowned Federalist Papers of the late 1780s, 85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, wrestled with this exact debate.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
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Ibrahim Sangare handled the ball from the second phase in a 3-1 opening-weekend defeat at Nottingham Forest, while Nathan Collins was wrestled to the floor by Reinildo in their 2-1 loss to Sunderland two weeks later.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Young grabbed onto Elijah’s hair to try to hang onto the moment.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The Giants have not won at home in Week 1 since Hakeem Nicks caught three touchdown passes in a 2010 win over the Carolina Panthers.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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Steyer backers Speaking of money, the second ad (or sort-of ad) that caught my attention is tied to Steyer, the billionaire who has spent more than $100 million of his own money in this race.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The tension spilled into election issues, including accusations that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized ballots in a voter‑fraud investigation, now at the center of a legal fight with the state attorney general.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Photograph courtesy Jennifer Hulse Israel seized control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the Six-Day War, in 1967.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The film has generated the kind of heat that has been missing elsewhere in the Marché this week, and a deal for domestic rights is all but certain (there are rumors A24 has already snatched it up).—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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The vehicles were snatched for being unregistered, uninsured, or having fake or altered license plates, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The jokes landed because the admiration underneath them was unmistakable.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
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The Sky were trailing 30-27 at the time of the injury, which occurred after Jackson bumped a Lynx defender and landed awkwardly on her left leg on the next step.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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No candidate has polled higher than 20-some percent — a testament to how many are in the running, but also an indication that none of them has truly captured the zeitgeist of today’s California.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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Any natural satellites of Psyche could’ve been ejected from the body by ancient impacts—or might’ve even been captured from deep space by chance encounters as the asteroid drifted through the solar system.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grappled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grappled. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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