wrestle

[ res-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

, wres·tled, wres·tling.

1. to engage in wrestling.
2. to contend, as in a struggle for mastery; grapple:

   to wrestle with one's conscience.

verb (used with object)

, wres·tled, wres·tling.

1. to contend with in wrestling.
2. to force by or as if by wrestling.
3. to throw (a calf or other animal) for branding.

noun

1. an act of or a bout at wrestling.
2. a struggle.

wrestle

/ ˈrɛsəl /

verb

1. to fight (another person) by holding, throwing, etc, without punching with the closed fist
2. intr to participate in wrestling
3. whenintr, foll by with or against to fight with (a person, problem, or thing)

   wrestle with one's conscience

4. tr to move laboriously, as with wrestling movements
5. tr to throw (an animal) for branding

noun

1. the act of wrestling
2. a struggle or tussle

Derived Forms

• ˈwrestler, noun

Other Words From

• wrestler noun
• outwrestle verb (used with object) outwrestled outwrestling
• un·wrestled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrestle¹

before 1100; Middle English wrestlen, wrastlen (v.), Old English *wrǣstlian (compare Old English wrǣstlere wrestler), frequentative of wrǣstan to wrest; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German worstelen

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrestle¹

Old English wræstlian; related to Middle Dutch wrastelen (Dutch worstelen ), Old Norse rost current, race

Example Sentences

She squinted, blinked sporadically, and tilted her head, as if straining to wrestle answers from her brain.

From The Daily Beast

Regardless of how one wrestles with Noam Chomsky, one does always wrestle, leaving the bout much smarter and stronger.

From The Daily Beast

“We do have to wrestle with the fact that the army already has them on the ground,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

A recently released app invites users to wrestle with the text of a modern classic.

From The Daily Beast

Erudite is trying to wrestle control of the government away from Abnegation via nefarious schemes.

From The Daily Beast

The children never wrestle or pull each other about, either in sport or earnest.

From Project Gutenberg

The Widow crept noiselessly out of the room, and left her to wrestle with her grief as she could.

From Project Gutenberg

I had the right to expect from her the mild interest attached to those who wrestle with their misfortune.

From Project Gutenberg

A most trying thing it was to a man who carried the burden of the future in his soul—to have to wrestle with an obstinate stomach!

From Project Gutenberg

He had not a sufficient grasp upon his mighty subject—nor for that matter had he freedom to get by himself and wrestle it out.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• contend
• grapple
• scuffle
• strive
• tangle
• tussle