to grapple with

Examples

• All

• To grapple with those difficult questions.

  God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (2018)

• Recent global economic trends have pushed all Middle Eastern regimes to grapple with economic reforms.

  Academic text (1995)

• And here we're grappling with terms that are quite difficult.

• And, and we'll, we'll grapple with their ideas as best as we can.

• At this moment, I do not think we have even started to grapple with that significantly.

  Academic text (2017)

• The inheritance that the League of Nations had to grapple with in this area was indeed complex.

  Academic text (1995)

• There are, however, efforts underway to grapple with this and other pressing questions.

  Academic text (1996)

• Durable peace remains a quest that humanity continues to grapple with without success.

• Some have long histories of diversity, and others are grappling with it for the first time.

  Academic text (1999)

• Tonight, the Giudice family is grappling with the consequences of this guilty plea.

Synonyms

S

to struggle

vsto grapple with

851 2.8

To try very hard to do or deal with something difficult

emphasizes effort generally not always understanding difficult subjects

T

to tackle

vsto grapple with

204 3.4

To try to deal with a difficult problem or task

often implies direct action rather than careful thought or understanding

W

to wrestle

vsto grapple with

121 3.9

To struggle with a difficult problem or decision

covers external problems and understanding not just inner conflict

G

to grapple

vsto grapple with

56 4.2

To try hard to deal with a difficult problem

means the same but often stresses understanding as well as dealing

W

to wrestle with

vsto grapple with

52 4.6

Try hard to deal with a difficult problem

focuses more on sustained effort rather than quick action

C

to come to grips

vsto grapple with

30 5.5

Start to accept and deal with a difficult situation

emphasizes starting action while the key covers trying hard at any time

P

to puzzle over

vsto grapple with

7 5.9

Think carefully about something because it is hard to understand

focuses on mental thought rather than active problem solving or action

T

to tackle (the problem)

vsto grapple with

5 3.0

To try hard to solve a problem

focuses more on practical action than on thinking or understanding

G

to get to grips with

vsto grapple with

• UK

3 5.4

To begin to understand and deal with a difficult subject or problem

refers to trying hard at any stage not only the initial beginning

G

to get to grips

vsto grapple with

• UK

2 5.7

To begin to deal with or understand a difficult problem

is broader used for ongoing effort rather than only first steps

R

to rassle

vsto grapple with

• Informal

1 9.9

To struggle with a hard problem or task

is more informal in tone than the key concept

Antonyms

A

to avoid

∞ 1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

I

to ignore

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

How Hard

to wrestle with

52 4.6

to grapple with

52 6.1

to work through

152 3.4

to ponder

134 4.3

to consider

∞ 1.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology