grapple
verb (used without object)
to hold or make fast to something, as with a grapple.
was grappling
-
past progressiveof grapple.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the early 1990s, Qatar was grappling with a period of economic strain - high debt levels and weak state revenues were weighing heavily on its finances.
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
However, the company said in a Monday statement that it was grappling with a power outage at a U.S. data center that was causing a “cascading systems failure.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2026
When Britain was grappling with public fury over the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, which killed 72 people, the government announced a public inquiry.
From Barron's ● Nov. 30, 2025
Rose, a former Microsoft executive, took the top job at a time WPP was grappling with a string of client losses and investor concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on its business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
I asked, committing myself to nothing until I knew the kind of reality I was grappling with.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
