verb

wrestle

to wrestle, to grapple, to struggle

The two athletes wrestled on the mat.

The two athletes wrestled on the mat.

She wrestled with the difficult decision.

She wrestled with the difficult decision.

((with/against sb.)) to fight with sb. physically. The boys wrestled with each other playfully.

((with sth.)) to struggle to deal with a problem or decision. He wrestled with his conscience for a long time.

Synonyms: grapple, struggle, contend; Antonyms: yield, surrender

From Old English 'wræstlian', meaning 'to twist'. It relates to the twisting motions of the sport.

Imagine trying to 'rest' while someone is twisting you – you have to 'wrestle' back!

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.