grapple
/ˈɡɹæpəl/verb
To try hard to deal with or understand a difficult problem or situation.
Example sentences
- “Many cities are grappling with a shortage of affordable housing.”
- “She is still grappling with the loss of her father.”
- “Scientists are grappling with questions about how memory works.”
Almost always followed by 'with': grapple with a problem, an issue, or a decision. In a physical sense it means to fight by holding someone tightly.