ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›G›grapple
ISEE/SSATmedium
grapple
to struggle or wrestle with a difficult problem or opponent
Synonyms
- struggle
- wrestle
- tackle
Antonyms
- avoid
- ignore
grapple in a sentence
The committee had to grapple with a shrinking budget and rising costs.
For weeks the scientists had to grapple with data that stubbornly contradicted their original theory.
Where it comes from
From Old French grapil 'hook, grappling iron'
Memory hook
GRAPPLE sounds like grip — grappling means gripping tightly onto a problem.
Read it in context
- The Thursday Exchange Social Science