wrestling
Americannoun
-
a sport in which two opponents struggle hand to hand in order to pin or press each other's shoulders to the mat or ground, with the style, rules, and regulations differing widely in amateur and professional matches.
-
the act of a person who wrestles.
noun
Etymology
Origin of wrestling
before 1100; Middle English; Old English wrǣstlunge. See wrestle, -ing 1
Explanation
Wrestling is a sport in which two athletes compete to see who can hold the other down, using specific moves. If you enjoy grappling with your brother, pinning each other to the couch, you might want to take up wrestling. Wrestling is one of the oldest sports, dating back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians. The original Greek Olympics included a brutal, violent form of wrestling. If you watch or participate in high school or college wrestling, you know that these days, it's a highly controlled, athletic sport. So-called professional wrestling, on the other hand, is mainly a form of entertainment, featuring gaudy costumes and elaborately choreographed moves.
Vocabulary lists containing wrestling
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.
He previously participated in wrestling at Madison High School but did not take part in any on-campus activities this school year, said Canning.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Not just the goals that have been scored, but the constant grappling, pushing, pulling and wrestling.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
“And I think we did have a conversation about wrestling with leadership, but settling into it, wanting to maintain it, hadn’t been quite defined.”
From Salon • May 11, 2026
Professional wrestling violence is normally scripted, meaning both parties agree to hit each other with punches, kicks, throws and even sometimes weapons to tell a violent story in the ring.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Haupt was powerfully built and an accomplished fighter in both wrestling and boxing.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
