wrestle

American  

[res-uhl] / ˈrɛs əl /

verb (used without object)

wrestled, wrestling

1. to engage in wrestling.

2. to contend, as in a struggle for mastery; grapple.

   to wrestle with one's conscience.

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verb (used with object)

wrestled, wrestling

1. to contend with in wrestling.

2. to force by or as if by wrestling.

3. to throw (a calf or other animal) for branding.

noun

1. an act of or a bout at wrestling.

2. a struggle.

wrestle British  

/ ˈrɛsəl /

verb

1. to fight (another person) by holding, throwing, etc, without punching with the closed fist

2. (intr) to participate in wrestling

3. to fight with (a person, problem, or thing)

   wrestle with one's conscience

4. (tr) to move laboriously, as with wrestling movements

5. (tr) to throw (an animal) for branding

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noun

1. the act of wrestling

2. a struggle or tussle

Other Word Forms

• outwrestle verb (used with object)
• unwrestled adjective
• wrestler noun

Etymology

Origin of wrestle

before 1100; Middle English wrestlen, wrastlen (v.), Old English *wrǣstlian (compare Old English wrǣstlere wrestler), frequentative of wrǣstan to wrest; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German worstelen

Example Sentences

Genuine liberal arts learning requires students to wrestle with the best that has been written and said by the most rigorous thinkers, living and dead, on all sides of the issues.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jeamie wrestled first - joking his name would have been 'Big Papa T Jr' - but moved to boxing, the more lucrative path.

From BBC

He faced down health challenges and wrestled with the future.

From The Wall Street Journal

As media executives wrestle with the use of artificial intelligence, radio giant iHeartMedia wants to stand out.

From Los Angeles Times

The downside: Instant solutions reduce the incentive to wrestle with underlying concepts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• contend
• grapple
• scuffle
• strive
• tangle
• tussle