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
Relevance
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
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
The actor quickly wrapped his legs around Fallon’s sides and pulled his body and arms into a grapple.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
Based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, the show stars Cage as down-on-his-luck private investigator Ben Reilly, the only superhero in 1930s New York City, who must grapple with his past life after a deeply personal tragedy.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
Four days of grapples, reversals and takedowns are on deck at Grand Casino Arena.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
The actor quickly wrapped his legs around Fallon’s sides and pulled his body and arms into a grapple.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
The incident comes as the nation continues to grapple with the threat of political violence.
—NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
Based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, the show stars Cage as down-on-his-luck private investigator Ben Reilly, the only superhero in 1930s New York City, who must grapple with his past life after a deeply personal tragedy.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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As paranoia festers and absurd regulations tighten their grip, suspicion replaces love, and truth itself begins to warp.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
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Either way, regulars are probably coming to grips with a glass-half-empty feeling.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Plenty of Sellers’ struggles could be pinned on offensive play calling and a lack of polished talent around him.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Water Tower Place is about to get a complete $170 million makeover, a big step toward its recovery after years of financial struggle and the loss of several major tenants.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Having wrestled the title momentum away from Arsenal this week, City are the obvious answer here, but there are reasons for optimism in north London.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Lawmakers in Connecticut have wrestled with how exactly to regulate the issue, particularly in the wake of reports that grocery stores in the state were using facial recognition technology to track shopper activity.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rivera’s defense team contended that the gun went off inadvertently in a struggle after Rosen reached into the car and grabbed Rivera.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Walsh locked down Maxey out of a Sixers timeout to force a turnover, and the Celtics grabbed four offensive rebounds on one first-quarter possession, with Walsh and Scheierman accounting for three of them.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The premium denim brand said Eram’s natural grasp of silhouette, construction, and overall attitude fits perfectly with Icon Denim’s vision of pushing denim beyond its traditional boundaries.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
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To wriggle out of Joseph’s grasp, Michael hires a brash young lawyer, John Branca, played by Miles Teller, who lends the coolly confident character a delightfully rough edge.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Voters will probably be bombarded with political ads and arguments from opposing sides as the battle intensifies.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The Koh-i-Noor then spent 70 years in Afghanistan, where it was passed around by leaders who won bloody battles against one another.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Overall, about half of children with the disease are infected during birth, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said, while others caught it from family members.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
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In 2023, the NCAA put in guidelines that punish athletes caught gambling on their own school, or other sports at their school, with a permanent loss of eligibility.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Leeds never really got a hold of the game again.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Earlier this month, DeArcy Hall agreed to release him on $1 million bond, secured by 17 family members, but that release is on hold as prosecutors appeal the bond ruling.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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