wrestling

verb

Definition of wrestlingnext
present participle of wrestle
as in fighting
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery the sisters wrestled on the floor over the last cookie

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 wrestling Based on its trailer, Wild Horse Nine, which premieres in competition on September 3, seems to find McDonagh back in his sweet spot, helming a pitch-black comedy about two charismatic men wrestling with their dark pasts. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026 In the trailer for the show, the cast gets physical (literally), wrestling over clothes in a challenge. — Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 But the Young Bucks have been a dominant force in tag team wrestling for years. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 In Washington, Kuper will keep wrestling with his district's fuel costs. — Willa Rubin, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 As our Kim Hjelmgaard reports from London, Washington and Tehran are both wrestling with that question six months into their fight. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Think of Claude Monet on the Normandy coast, wrestling with the influence of his mentor Eugène Boudin. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 His chance at glory now past, a father transfers wrestling dreams to his 11-year-old daughter, Jenny. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 Newly restored and directed by Greaves’ son David, the film captures the group’s reminiscing, arguing, and wrestling with how culture survives across generations. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrestling
  1. fighting
  2. grappling
  3. brawling
  4. tussling
Verb
  • As a result, the Fed’s attention is now fixed on fighting inflation, instead of the other part of its dual mandate, namely supporting the labor market.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • For France, long accustomed to wildfires along arid stretches of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the devastation in Le Porge has yielded rare consensus that its fire safety system is not up to fighting mega-fires brought on by climate change.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of fighting
Verb
  • The documents land as the US itself is grappling with slipping vaccination rates and unbridled measles outbreaks, which have killed two people, including a newborn, this year.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Virtually every large business is grappling with surging AI token costs.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of grappling
Verb
  • Well, maybe everyone except for the fans escorted out of the right-field bleachers after brawling, another clip that went viral on social media.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Massive fights erupted at the Wisconsin State Fair during its chaotic closing hours Sunday, with viral video showing people in crowds throwing punches and brawling as police moved in to break up the mayhem.
    — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of brawling
Verb
  • He was seen dancing at San Diego Comic Con, getting arrested in Times Square, giving out free hugs on the Santa Monica Pier, and tussling with an AMC employee over a bag of popcorn.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Two people with divergent intuitions about what’s normal, or endurable, can end up tussling over the same territory.
    — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
Definition of tussling

Browse Nearby Words

wrestle (with)
wrestling
wrestling (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Wrestling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrestling. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wrestling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wrestling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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