wrestled; wrestling ˈre-sliŋ How to pronounce wrestle (audio)
ˈra-;
ˈre-sᵊl-iŋ,
ˈra-

intransitive verb

1
: to contend by grappling with and striving to trip or throw an opponent down or off balance
2
: to combat an opposing tendency or force
wrestling with his conscience
3
: to engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate
4
: to engage in or as if in a violent or determined struggle
wrestling with cumbersome luggage

transitive verb

1
a
: to engage in (a match, bout, or fall) in wrestling
b
: to wrestle with
wrestle an alligator
2
: to move, maneuver, or force with difficulty
wrestler noun

wrestle

2 of 2

noun

: the action or an instance of wrestling : struggle
especially : a wrestling bout

Examples of wrestle in a Sentence

Verb They'll be wrestling each other for the championship. They'll be wrestling with each other for the championship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Photo: Ron Bull/Getty Images The back image of Book of Lives features a black-and-white photo of Atwood in the ’70s reading a copy of her second novel, Surfacing, which wrestles with national identity and the marginalization of women, both ambient and overt. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025 Humphrey was one of the founders of the Titan Mercury club in San Marino, for whom some of the girls had wrestled. Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025 That converted shows into one-of-a-kind experiences, with Tews wrestling beaver mascots live onstage. Cory Stillman, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025 After three years in the tag team C&C Wrestle Factory with Caprice Coleman, Alexander began wrestling as a singles competitor, feuding with the likes of Moose, Roderick Strong, and many more. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for wrestle 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English wrastlen, wrestlen, from Old English wrǣstlian, frequentative of wrǣstan

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1593, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrestle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wrestle

Cite this Entry

“Wrestle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrestle. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

wrestle

1 of 2 verb
1
: to struggle with and try to throw down an opponent
2
: to compete against in wrestling
3
: to struggle for control (as of something difficult)

wrestle

2 of 2 noun
: the action or an instance of wrestling

More from Merriam-Webster on wrestle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!