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
Jamie Lang, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump has reignited a long-standing feud with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) as California grapples with the costliest wildfire in history.
—Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Jan. 2025
Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025
Following launch, the space station’s Canadarm2 will grapple Cygnus no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 1, and the spacecraft will attach to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port for cargo unloading by the Expedition 70 crew.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for grapple 
Noun
What starts as a civil split soon becomes strained as the couple grapples with the harsh realities of their new living arrangements.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump has reignited a long-standing feud with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) as California grapples with the costliest wildfire in history.
—Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
There are several poems that grapple with suicidal thoughts and ideation.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025
Following launch, the space station’s Canadarm2 will grapple Cygnus no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 1, and the spacecraft will attach to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port for cargo unloading by the Expedition 70 crew.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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But breaking the grip that your phone has on you isn’t impossible.—
Aditi Shrikant,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2025
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Meanwhile, contoured chrome handles offer great grip.—
Erin Bunch,
SELF,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Considering UConn’s struggles shooting from long range in its losses, the importance of its best 3-point shooter can’t be overstated, especially when Fudd can add drives and pull-up midrangers when defenses chase her off the line.—
Sabreena Merchant,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
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Volpe immersed herself in research before making the film, accompanying nurses on hospital shifts to understand their daily struggles.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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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
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That converted shows into one-of-a-kind experiences, with Tews wrestling beaver mascots live onstage.—
Cory Stillman,
IndieWire,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Marvel Spider-Man's Car and Doc Ock Building Set Don’t forget to grab a Valentine’s Gift for the little one in your life.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
People.com,
6 Feb. 2025
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Also using a franchise model, the company operates a network of almost 10,000 stores across China, hoping to grab consumer attention with as many storefronts as possible, according to its prospectus.—
Yue Wang,
Forbes,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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And now, a second ever Super Bowl ring is within the Eagles’ grasp with Sirianni looking to complete a dramatic turnaround in fortunes.—
Ben Morse,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
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However, the Chiefs are looking for a three-peat and history is within their grasp.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The podcast's release comes amid Baldoni's ongoing legal battle with Lively.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
11 Feb. 2025
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O'Toole is overseeing the legal battle over Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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That changed when polls showed a tightening race and Osborn raised more than $30 million, catching the attention not only of the working class but of organizations such as the Patriotic Millionaires, a group of wealthy Americans seeking an equitable economy.—
Jeffrey Fleishman,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2025
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The train derailment occurred in rural Somerset County where three engines and six train cars from Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway were knocked off the tracks and caught fire, according to the Bangor Daily News.—
James Powel,
USA TODAY,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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As trillions of dollars were suddenly put on hold, so was 80 percent of SOUL's budget for the next five years.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
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Put your ambitions on hold and be pleased to just navigate through the essentials today.—
Georgia Nicols,
The Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near grapple
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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