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
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
Combat is great, even if the grapple didn’t hook me.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Micah Walker, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Global commerce has been under strain this year as companies grapple with a flurry of on-again, off-again trade policies; the new port fees will likely make shipping rates more volatile, analysts said.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
Another grapples with learning about her partner’s drinking and partying lifestyle, which is a stark contrast to her own.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
Combat is great, even if the grapple didn’t hook me.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Arts and culture organizations are grappling with funding cuts at the state and federal levels and Markowicz said like other nonprofits, Midtown Detroit is experiencing a tightening in its funding.
—Micah Walker, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Global commerce has been under strain this year as companies grapple with a flurry of on-again, off-again trade policies; the new port fees will likely make shipping rates more volatile, analysts said.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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But Duane’s grip on the rifle was so tight that the muzzle stayed jammed under the bear’s chin.—
Marguerite Reiss,
Outdoor Life,
9 Oct. 2025
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Touch in Sol’s fan-favorite primer smooths skin with a lightweight, velvety finish that blurs the appearance of pores and grips onto makeup in place all day.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While the murderous struggle is hard to hear in the video, the barking continued for several minutes and is unmistakable.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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Often taunted by tabloids for her unsmiling demeanor, Victoria shows off her sense of humor and gets real about some of the most difficult parts of her past, including her struggles with an eating disorder and almost losing her fashion business entirely.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Superprod is here at MIPCOM in Cannes this week, as the animation market continues to wrestle with financing and developing new IP.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
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After The Iron Claw came out in December 2023, Dylan posted a video of Olivia and Henry play-wrestling him, seemingly inspired by their older brother’s character.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In grabbing McNeeley in the same class as Knueppel, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte wanted to infuse its roster with youthful players boasting an old school mentality.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
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If her vibe is all about being cute yet comfy, grab the matching shorts for extra brownie points.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Glamour,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In Utah, Nolen says that public health officials have a good grasp on where measles is spreading thanks to wastewater monitoring that can capture virus levels beyond official case counts, and where the risk is elevated due to low vaccination rates.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
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Cooper’s grasp of the material is unerring, imbuing it with a sweetness that’s never cloying, a generosity of spirit that’s never unearned.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Keeping track of what both Pokémon are doing, each of their health bars, the animations for each attack and the battle log (which shows whether or not attacks have landed) takes a long time to get used to.—
Ryan Gaur,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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With tensions rising, the film transforms into an unsettling black comedy as the colleagues descend into a battle of wills and wits.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On Monday, of course, the problem wasn’t Durbin getting caught stealing.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
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One that frequently catches my attention is meaning, or purpose.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Rolling out sweeping new curbs will likely unleash a bureaucratic burden for officials that could reignite tensions, if more hold-ups ensue and threaten to halt production lines.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
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With the diocese’s help to make payroll and the school’s closure on hold, Olson took charge of the budget.—
Jan Goldsmith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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