Grapples — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈgra-pəl/ grap·ple

Meaning & Definition of Grapples

Grapples (noun)

  1. the act or an instance of grappling
  2. a hand-to-hand struggle
  3. a contest for superiority or mastery

Grapples (verb)

  1. to seize with or as if with a grapple
  2. to grasp with the hands, wrestle
  3. to bind closely

Grapples (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the act or manner of holding

    "was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match"

    similar: clasps, clenches, grasps, grips, handgrips, handholds, holds
    related: anchorages, leverages, purchases, grabs, seizures, footholds, footings, toeholds, clinches, embraces, hugs
    near: releases, relinquishments

  2. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair"

    similar: ball games, battles, combats, competitions, conflicts, confrontations, contentions, contests, dogfights, duels, face-offs, matches, rivalries, strifes, struggles, sweepstakes, tugs-of-war, warfares, wars
    related: horse races, nail-biters, showdowns, clashes, collisions, discords, frictions, arguments, controversies, debates, disagreements, disputations, disputes, dissensions, quarrels, rows, wrangles
    near: concords, harmonies, peaces

Grapples (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery

    "two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears"

    similar: rassles, scuffles, tussles, wrestles
    related: battles, clashes (with), combats, contends, duels, fights, wars (against), bashes, batters, beats, buffets, hits, punches, slugs, strikes, boxes, spars, brawls, skirmishes

  2. to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

    "a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water"

    similar: bags, captures, catches, collars, cops (slang), corrals, gets, gloms, grabs, hooks, lands, nabs, nails, nets, nobbles (British slang), raps, seizes, snags, snaps (up), snares, snatches, traps, takes hold (of)
    related: gloves, halters, lassos, ropes, apprehends, arrests, detains, bays, corners, clasps, clutches, fastens (on), fists, grasps, grips, holds, latches (on or onto), secures, rends, wrests, enmeshes, ensnares, entangles, entraps, meshes, abducts, kidnaps, spirits (away or off)
    opposite: misses
    near: discharges, frees, liberates, releases, drops, loosens, unhands

Related Entry: Grapple (noun)

Grapple is a different word from Grapples. The synonyms below are for grapple, not for grapples.

  1. the act or manner of holding

    "was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match"

    similar: clasp, clench, grasp, grip, handgrip, handhold, hold
    related: anchorage, leverage, purchase, grab, seizure, foothold, footing, toehold, clinch, embrace, hug
    near: release, relinquishment

  2. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair"

    similar: ball game, battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, contest, dogfight, duel, face-off, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes, tug-of-war, war, warfare
    related: horse race, nail-biter, showdown, clash, collision, discord, friction, argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension, quarrel, row, wrangle
    near: concord, harmony, peace

Related Entry: Grapple (verb)

Grapple is a different word from Grapples. The synonyms below are for grapple, not for grapples.

  1. to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery

    "two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears"

    similar: rassle, scuffle, tussle, wrestle
    related: battle, clash (with), combat, contend, duel, fight, war (against), bash, batter, beat, buffet, hit, punch, slug, strike, box, spar, brawl, skirmish

  2. to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

    "a crane grappled the sunken boat and hoisted it above water"

    similar: bag, capture, catch, collar, cop (slang), corral, get, glom, grab, hook, land, nab, nail, net, nobble (British slang), rap, seize, snag, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, take hold (of)
    related: glove, halter, lasso, rope, apprehend, arrest, detain, bay, corner, clasp, clutch, fasten (on), fist, grasp, grip, hold, latch (on or onto), secure, rend, wrest, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, mesh, abduct, kidnap, spirit (away or off)
    opposite: miss
    near: discharge, free, liberate, release, drop, loosen, unhand

Related Entry: Grapple (with) (verb)

Grapple (with) is a different word from Grapples. The synonyms below are for grapple (with), not for grapples.

  1. to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently

    "a medical ethicist who grapples with extremely difficult questions all the time"

    similar: address, contend (with), cope (with), field, hack, handle, manage, maneuver, manipulate, negotiate, play, swing, take, treat, come to grips with, have a grip on
    related: engineer, finesse, jockey, bring off, carry off, carry out, get off, pull, command, direct, guide, steer, control, micromanage, regulate, run, react (to), respond (to)
    near: botch, bungle, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), mishandle, muff, scamp

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Grapples

The most common words with a similar meaning to Grapples:

Slang: cops
British slang: nobbles
clasps, clenches, grasps, grips, handgrips, handholds, holds, ball games, battles, combats, competitions, conflicts, confrontations, contentions, contests, dogfights, duels, face-offs, matches, rivalries, strifes, struggles, sweepstakes, tugs-of-war, warfares, wars, rassles, scuffles, tussles, wrestles, bags, captures, catches, collars, corrals, gets, gloms, grabs, hooks, lands

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Grapples

Words with the opposite meaning of Grapples:

misses

Related Words for Grapples

anchorages, leverages, purchases, seizures, footholds, footings, toeholds, clinches, embraces, hugs, horse races, nail-biters, showdowns, clashes, collisions, discords, frictions, arguments, controversies, debates, disagreements, disputations, disputes, dissensions, quarrels, rows, wrangles, clashes (with), contends, fights

Near Antonyms of Grapples

releases, relinquishments, concords, harmonies, peaces, discharges, frees, liberates, drops, loosens, unhands

Word Forms of Grapples

Inflections: grappled, grappling

Derived words: grappler (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Grapples

Middle English grappel grappling hook, from Old French *grappelle, diminutive of grape hook grape

First known use: 1601

Frequently Asked Questions about Grapples

What does "Grapples" mean?

"Grapples" means the act or an instance of grappling. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act or an instance of grappling. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Grapples"?

Other words for "Grapples" include clasps, clenches, grasps, grips, handgrips, handholds, holds and ball games. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Grapples" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Grapples"?

There are 120 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Grapples". Common alternatives include clasps, clenches, grasps, grips, handgrips, handholds, holds, ball games, battles and combats.

What is the opposite of "Grapples"?

Antonyms of "Grapples" include misses. Near antonyms include releases, relinquishments, concords and harmonies.

How do you use "Grapples" in a sentence?

Examples of "Grapples" in a sentence: "was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling match"; "after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having an affair"; "two sumo wrestlers grappling like a pair of mammoth bears".

Is "Grapples" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Grapples" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Grapples"?

"Grapples" is pronounced /ˈgra-pəl/ and divided into syllables as grap·ple.

What is the origin of the word "Grapples"?

"Grapples" comes from Middle English grappel grappling hook, from Old French *grappelle, diminutive of grape hook grape. First known use: 1601.