grappled

verb

past tense of grapple
1
as in wrestled
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

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2
as in grabbed
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of grappled Down in the Keys, Dry Tortugas National Park has grappled with deteriorating historic masonry and failing dock systems, threatening the safety of tens of thousands of visitors who visit the park’s remote Fort Jefferson each year. — Lulu Vilas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 Golden Gate’s residents have grappled with issues around the complex’s living conditions for years, including mold, rodents and obsolete electrical systems, leading them to file suit in 2020. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 Many health care CEOs received big pay raises while their hospital systems grappled with rising expenses after the pandemic, narrow operating margins, and statewide upheaval following the collapse of Steward Health Care. — Jonathan Saltzman — Boston Globe, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 The change follows a round of cost-cutting measures last year, as the City Council grappled with a $3 million budget shortfall that prompted cuts across multiple departments. — Haley Parsley august 12, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Tufts saw Clancy 14 times between September 2022 to January 2023, repeatedly adjusting her prescriptions as Clancy grappled with anxiety, depression and insomnia. — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 Why this is the case is the essential mystery geomorphologists have grappled with ever since. — Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026 It was built in the 1920s, when Washington was transformed by ambitious construction projects, even as the nation grappled with political division, racial conflict and clashes between religion and secularism. — Jennifer Tucker, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026 In their grief, Schreiber’s family has turned to the questions Jake grappled with his whole life. — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grappled
  1. wrestled
  2. grabbed
  3. caught
  4. seized
  5. snatched
  6. landed
  7. captured
Verb
  • Hinduism itself has long wrestled with the question of how many gods there are, and different answers have been proposed throughout its history, but none of those answers necessarily invalidates the others.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • County officials — caught between a state legislative mandate to cooperate with ICE, a national mass deportation push that was filling their jail with detainees and a vocal electorate that demanded change — wrestled with how to respond.
    — Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrestled
Verb
  • Clark then went back to his golf bag, grabbed another iron, and placed it behind the ball.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The one that has grabbed most of the headlines is its pull back from LIV.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of grabbed
Verb
  • The 6-2 Marshall, a former second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers, hasn’t made big plays in the passing game, but has caught Slowik’s eye in another area.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Noah Tarrant caught both scoring passes, 12 and 63 yards, and finished with five catches for 106 yards.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of caught
Verb
  • Many politicians have either seized on the outrage or scrambled to shield themselves from the growing anger.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The unrest comes as authorities tighten control over its uranium sector, having seized ⁠assets from ​France’s Orano.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of seized
Verb
  • Mendoza’s first drive ended with his first interception, which Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz snatched and took back 80 yards for a pick six.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The thieves then snatched the paintings and fled through the museum’s gardens—the whole heist took place in under three minutes.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of snatched
Verb
  • Mayer had some early success with her jab, but Cameron increasingly took control as the fight progressed and landed the cleaner punches before hurting Mayer with a right hand in the eighth round.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Florida State was coming off a 13-1 season and landed DJ Uiagalelei out of the transfer portal at quarterback.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of landed
Verb
  • Surveillance cameras near the scene captured footage of the suspect vehicle, but not its license plate.
    — Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Her reaction to the Album of the Year snub at the 2018 Grammys was captured in her Miss Americana documentary.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of captured

Browse Nearby Words

grapple
grappled
grappled (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Grappled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grappled. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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