grapple

American  

[grap-uhl] / ˈgræp əl /

verb (used without object)

grappled, grappling

1. to hold or make fast to something, as with a grapple.

2. to use a grapple.

3. to seize another, or each other, in a firm grip, as in wrestling; clinch.

4. to engage in a struggle or close encounter (usually followed bywith ).

   He was grappling with a boy twice his size.

5. to try to overcome or deal (usually followed bywith ).

   to grapple with a problem.

   Synonyms:

   tussle, cope, wrestle, contend, struggle

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verb (used with object)

grappled, grappling

1. to seize, hold, or fasten with or as with a grapple.

2. to seize in a grip, take hold of.

   The thug grappled him around the neck.

noun

1. a hook or an iron instrument by which one thing, as a ship, fastens onto another; grapnel.

2. a seizing or gripping.

3. a grip or close hold in wrestling or hand-to-hand fighting.

4. a close, hand-to-hand fight.

grapple British  

/ ˈɡræpəl /

verb

1. to come to grips with (one or more persons), esp to struggle in hand-to-hand combat

2. to cope or contend

   to grapple with a financial problem

3. (tr) to secure with a grapple

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noun

1. any form of hook or metal instrument by which something is secured, such as a grapnel

2. 1. the act of gripping or seizing, as in wrestling

   2. a grip or hold

3. a contest of grappling, esp a wrestling match

Other Word Forms

• grappler noun
• intergrapple verb
• ungrappled adjective

Etymology

Origin of grapple

1520–30; apparently a frequentative of Old English gegrǣppian to seize; associated with grapnel

Explanation

When you wrestle with something — literally or figuratively — you grapple with it, or try to overcome it. If you trace the word grapple back to its French roots, you’ll discover that the word originally referred to "a grape hook," a pronged tool used to harvest grapes. If you think about how awkward it would be to harvest grapes, with the individual grapes ready to scatter everywhere, it makes sense that grapple eventually evolved to include a verb form used to describe struggling with something unruly. You might grapple with a budget shortfall, grapple for answers, grapple with a wrestling opponent, or grapple with a new technology.

Example Sentences

But some retailers have since said they weren’t worried about higher gas prices, even as consumers grapple with nearly a half-decade of more expensive essentials.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 5, 2026

"We desperately need more of these land-to-ocean connection studies if we're to fully grapple with the problem of global warming and the effects it will have on coastal ecosystems."

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

MomTok inspired the Hulu reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which follows eight women in Salt Lake City who grapple with their relationship with the church.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Since global supply chains continue to grapple with dynamic challenges, Becker says the company is well-positioned to continue layering value-added services, keeping it financially viable over the next several years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

This family is, like so many others today, attempting to grapple with the many questions and the moral and ethical issues that surround the “birth” of HeLa, and the “death” of Mrs. Lacks.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• confront
• contend
• cope