1
a
: the act or an instance of grappling
b
: a hand-to-hand struggle
locked in a desperate grapple with his foe
c
: a contest for superiority or mastery
their grapple with tyranny
2
: an instrument for grabbing or gripping something: such as
a
: a bucket (as on an excavating machine) having hinged jaws

grapple

2 of 2

verb

transitive verb

1
: to seize with or as if with a grapple (see grapple entry 1 sense 2)
2
: to grasp with the hands : wrestle
3
: to bind closely

intransitive verb

1
: to make a ship fast with a grappling hook
2
: to begin to understand or deal with something in a direct or effective way
Officials grappled with an increase in violent crimes.
3
: to use a grapple

Examples of grapple in a Sentence

Noun was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair Verb two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
But the fundraising increase comes as the Democratic Party grapples with low approval ratings and intraparty fighting around their overall direction and response to the Trump administration’s policies. Isabella Murray, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2025 Hong Kong’s film sector has been seeking new avenues for growth and international expansion, while Korea’s industry grapples with sustainability issues amid escalating production costs and stagnant budgets. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
Leaders often grapple with the feeling that there simply aren’t enough hours in a day. Daniela Aneva, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, Marino continued to grapple with his astonishment over White's filming schedule. Ashley Hume, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grapple

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English grappel grappling hook, from Old French *grappelle, diminutive of grape hook — more at grape

First Known Use

Noun

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grapple was in 1530

Cite this Entry

“Grapple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapple. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

grapple

1 of 2 noun
: the act of grappling : grip, hold

grapple

2 of 2 verb
1
: to seize or hold with or as if with a hooked instrument
2
: to seize and struggle with one another
3
: to attempt to deal
grappled with a problem

More from Merriam-Webster on grapple

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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