Grapple
verb
To struggle or fight with someone or something.
He grappled with the burglar that broke into his house.
Often appears as...
- grapple with an issue
- grapple with a problem
verb
To try to solve or deal with something difficult.
They are grappling with severe financial problems.
Often appears as...
- grapple with an issue
- grapple with a problem
noun
An act of grappling or an instance of grappling.
The grapple between the two wrestlers was intense.
Often appears as...
- in a grapple
- a grapple for control
noun
A device with several hooks for grasping and lifting heavy objects.
The worker used a grapple to move the large rocks.
Often appears as...
- a grapple hook
- a grapple crane
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To struggle or fight with someone or something.
He grappled with the burglar that broke into his house.
Often appears as...
- grapple with an issue
- grapple with a problem
verb
To try to solve or deal with something difficult.
They are grappling with severe financial problems.
Often appears as...
- grapple with an issue
- grapple with a problem
noun
An act of grappling or an instance of grappling.
The grapple between the two wrestlers was intense.
Often appears as...
- in a grapple
- a grapple for control
noun
A device with several hooks for grasping and lifting heavy objects.
The worker used a grapple to move the large rocks.
Often appears as...
- a grapple hook
- a grapple crane
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Conflict
Refers to a physical struggle, can imply close contact or hand-to-hand combat.
The security guard grappled with the intruder.
Pro Tip 2/2Metaphorical Use
Often used metaphorically to describe a struggle with abstract concepts.
She grappled with her conscience before making a decision.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Conflict
Refers to a physical struggle, can imply close contact or hand-to-hand combat.
The security guard grappled with the intruder.
Pro Tip 2/2Metaphorical Use
Often used metaphorically to describe a struggle with abstract concepts.
She grappled with her conscience before making a decision.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Conflict
Refers to a physical struggle, can imply close contact or hand-to-hand combat.
The security guard grappled with the intruder.
Pro Tip 2/2Metaphorical Use
Often used metaphorically to describe a struggle with abstract concepts.
She grappled with her conscience before making a decision.
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Video examples
How to live and act (and...
professional to work better from daily activities to managing the career at the same time the networked age has also introduced challenges that every professional has to grapple with you see there's a story for many decades running that we tell ourselves and we tell our
Video examples
Color blind or color...
But still, as I grapple with this issue, my mother's question hangs in the air for How did they treat you? Now, I do not raise this issue to complain or in any way to elicit any kind of sympathy. I have succeeded in my life beyond my wildest expectations,
Video examples
The wicked wit of Jane...
They trade pragmatic advice, friendly jokes and not-so-friendly barbs about their arrogant peers. As they grapple with the endless rules of their society, Austen’s characters can usually find humor in all the hypocrisy, propriety, and small talk.
Video examples
Why is this painting so...
and is often referenced at anti-war gatherings around the world. Hundreds of viewers have grappled with its harsh imagery, shattering symbolism and complex political messaging. But even without a close understanding of it’s complicated subtext,
Video examples
The biology of our best...
with my machine gun ready. He lunges for his Luger. I knock it out of his hand. He lunges for his cyanide pill. I knock that out of his hand. He snarls, comes at me with otherworldly strength. We grapple, we fight, I manage to pin him down
Video examples
Human sperm vs. the...
to push themselves forward in a world where water feels as thick as cork. Other strategies are even stranger. Some bacteria take Batman's approach. They use grappling hooks to pull themselves along. They can even use this grappling hook
Video examples
What really happened to...
we’re still grappling with the best ways to collect, access, and preserve our knowledge. There’s more information available today and more advanced technology to preserve it, though we can’t know for sure
Video examples
Reimagining Dinosaurs PIPE...
was had adaptations for life in the water so how do you interpret the fossils you find in particular when there is no really good modern analog to the whole animal um how do you grapple with that these
Video examples
A Sticky Gecko PIPE Space...
catch prey on rock faces geckos would have needed grappling claws sticky feet probably evolved to help geckos climb and feed among the smooth maxi leaves of
Video examples
Thoughts on humanity,...
Because I truly believe that humanity is a lot like me. It is. It is. It's an aging movie star, grappling with all the newness around itself,
Video examples
How to live and act (and...
professional to work better from daily activities to managing the career at the same time the networked age has also introduced challenges that every professional has to grapple with you see there's a story for many decades running that we tell ourselves and we tell our
Video examples
Color blind or color...
But still, as I grapple with this issue, my mother's question hangs in the air for How did they treat you? Now, I do not raise this issue to complain or in any way to elicit any kind of sympathy. I have succeeded in my life beyond my wildest expectations,
Video examples
The wicked wit of Jane...
They trade pragmatic advice, friendly jokes and not-so-friendly barbs about their arrogant peers. As they grapple with the endless rules of their society, Austen’s characters can usually find humor in all the hypocrisy, propriety, and small talk.
Video examples
Why is this painting so...
and is often referenced at anti-war gatherings around the world. Hundreds of viewers have grappled with its harsh imagery, shattering symbolism and complex political messaging. But even without a close understanding of it’s complicated subtext,
Video examples
The biology of our best...
with my machine gun ready. He lunges for his Luger. I knock it out of his hand. He lunges for his cyanide pill. I knock that out of his hand. He snarls, comes at me with otherworldly strength. We grapple, we fight, I manage to pin him down
Video examples
Human sperm vs. the...
to push themselves forward in a world where water feels as thick as cork. Other strategies are even stranger. Some bacteria take Batman's approach. They use grappling hooks to pull themselves along. They can even use this grappling hook
Video examples
What really happened to...
we’re still grappling with the best ways to collect, access, and preserve our knowledge. There’s more information available today and more advanced technology to preserve it, though we can’t know for sure
Video examples
Reimagining Dinosaurs PIPE...
was had adaptations for life in the water so how do you interpret the fossils you find in particular when there is no really good modern analog to the whole animal um how do you grapple with that these
Video examples
A Sticky Gecko PIPE Space...
catch prey on rock faces geckos would have needed grappling claws sticky feet probably evolved to help geckos climb and feed among the smooth maxi leaves of
Video examples
Thoughts on humanity,...
Because I truly believe that humanity is a lot like me. It is. It is. It's an aging movie star, grappling with all the newness around itself,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Sarah Weinman
American Journalist
Judging by the volume of titles published each year, mystery readers are restless in their pursuit of literary escape. They might travel to far-flung places or stick close to home with their favorite hobbies. They can solve the world's greatest conspiracies or root for a lone wolf grappling with personal problems mundane and bleak.
Quote examples
Zachary Quinto
American Actor
I came up during the 'Star Wars' generation and that was sort of the thing I plugged into much more. It was a little before my time and I think it was sort of grappling with these intellectual ideas that were a little advanced for my young mind. At the time. But now I have a much deeper appreciation for it.
Quote examples
Richard P. Feynman
American Physicist
We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on.
Quote examples
Emily Mortimer
British Actress
To get art nowadays, in cinema or books or anything, that grapples with the possibility of a meaningless universe... it just doesn't happen any more. In even the most indie of the indie films, everything has to come to some kind of neat conclusion.
Quote examples
Jim Ross
American Entertainer
The black man's journey within the genre of grappling wasn't unlike the challenges their brethren faced in professional sports, entertainment and, most importantly, everyday life. To say it was challenging would be a massive understatement.
Quote examples
Svetlana Alexievich
Belarusian Journalist
I have always grappled with the fact that the truth cannot be packaged into one soul or one mind alone. It is something fragmented: there is so much to it; the truth is varied and scattered across the world.
Quote examples
Natasha Trethewey
American Poet
In my own life, I believe it was an early education in poetical metaphor that helped me to grapple with and make sense of all the difficult and traumatic things that were to come.
Quote examples
Tim Crouch
Director
In many respects, theater is still grappling with problems of reality and representation that the visual art movement realized were unimportant many years ago.
Quote examples
SZA
American Musician
Every day I grapple between 'I'm going to get married' and 'I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone with a poodle.
Quote examples
Michael Chiesa
American Mixed Martial Artist
I'm not afraid to grapple with anybody in the lightweight division.
Quote examples
Sarah Weinman
American Journalist
Judging by the volume of titles published each year, mystery readers are restless in their pursuit of literary escape. They might travel to far-flung places or stick close to home with their favorite hobbies. They can solve the world's greatest conspiracies or root for a lone wolf grappling with personal problems mundane and bleak.
Quote examples
Zachary Quinto
American Actor
I came up during the 'Star Wars' generation and that was sort of the thing I plugged into much more. It was a little before my time and I think it was sort of grappling with these intellectual ideas that were a little advanced for my young mind. At the time. But now I have a much deeper appreciation for it.
Quote examples
Richard P. Feynman
American Physicist
We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on.
Quote examples
Emily Mortimer
British Actress
To get art nowadays, in cinema or books or anything, that grapples with the possibility of a meaningless universe... it just doesn't happen any more. In even the most indie of the indie films, everything has to come to some kind of neat conclusion.
Quote examples
Jim Ross
American Entertainer
The black man's journey within the genre of grappling wasn't unlike the challenges their brethren faced in professional sports, entertainment and, most importantly, everyday life. To say it was challenging would be a massive understatement.
Quote examples
Svetlana Alexievich
Belarusian Journalist
I have always grappled with the fact that the truth cannot be packaged into one soul or one mind alone. It is something fragmented: there is so much to it; the truth is varied and scattered across the world.
Quote examples
Natasha Trethewey
American Poet
In my own life, I believe it was an early education in poetical metaphor that helped me to grapple with and make sense of all the difficult and traumatic things that were to come.
Quote examples
Tim Crouch
Director
In many respects, theater is still grappling with problems of reality and representation that the visual art movement realized were unimportant many years ago.
Quote examples
SZA
American Musician
Every day I grapple between 'I'm going to get married' and 'I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone with a poodle.
Quote examples
Michael Chiesa
American Mixed Martial Artist
I'm not afraid to grapple with anybody in the lightweight division.
Example 1 of 10
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