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
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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
Melissa Noel, Essence, 9 Jan. 2025
Uncertain but Unified Future for Korea’s Year-End Celebrations As the country and entertainment industry grapples with the tragedy, the status of major year-end events remains uncertain.
—Jeff Benjamin, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
The Trump administration announced a barrage of sanctions against the behemoth Sinaloa cartel, as the White House grapples with controlling the deadly threat posed by Mexican drug cartels.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grapple
Noun
The National Weather Service warned that critical fire risks persist, as Southern California grapples with historic drought conditions.
—Verb
The coming-of-age story finds a new generation of young women in Gilead, grappling with the bleak future that awaits them.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for grapple
Noun
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Now, companies are betting that machines can tackle a wider range of tasks by mimicking the ways that people walk, bend, twist, reach, grip and generally get things done.—
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Speaking of the ocean, this formula blends deep sea plant extracts with rice bran for antioxidant properties, with polymers and mineral powders for grip and makeup’s overall staying power.—
Noun
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And for those wondering: Yes, despite her struggles Gay would still love to be a full-time actress.—
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The past year hasn’t always been easy for the family, starting with Kentucky’s loss in the first round last March and continuing through the move to Arkansas and the Razorbacks’ struggles early in the season.—
Verb
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This declaration of wrestling royalty hits many fans strongly.—
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Paulie eventually wrestles control of it, but not before Reacher can plug the barrel with a bullet.—
Verb
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Urban Roots was the only California brewery to grab a spot on USA Today’s list of the best brewpubs in the United States.—
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Perhaps Woodley and Bravo will cozy up in L.A. next, grab a burrito and head over to Leo Carrillo.—
Noun
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Williams seems to have fundamentally misunderstood the novel, or at the very least to have only a diluted grasp of it.—
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At least one state public health official is worried that the sudden loss in funding will hurt their state’s grasp of the virus.—
Noun
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And maybe the downfall is that Lex has decided what's right between those two and which should win out, whereas Superman and Lois are in a constant battle about what is right, so they each get checked by the other.—
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Michael Mann, Francis Ford Coppola, Nicolas Cage Pay Tribute to Actor By the time the sequel was filmed and finally came out — there were COVID delays as Tom Cruise (rightly) insisted on a theatrical release — Kilmer was quite deep into his battle with throat cancer.—
Verb
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Adames also made one of the finest and best-timed leaping catches from a shortstop that Oracle Park has ever seen, which isn’t a claim that can be thrown around lightly.—
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How to catch a glimpse of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in April 2025?—
Noun
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Earlier this month, the Fed’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept interest rates on hold after kicking off a rate-cutting cycle in September.—
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John remains at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on a no-bail hold and is next due in court on April 22.—
Cite this Entry
“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grapple. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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