What does wrestling mean?
Wrestling is a sport in which two competitors grapple, seek advantageous grips, and attempt to control or unbalance one another without necessarily striking. The term also describes physical grappling more generally. As a verb, wrestling can retain this literal meaning, but it is especially common in figurative expressions such as "wrestling with a problem," where it conveys persistent, often difficult intellectual or practical effort. The word can suggest both controlled athletic competition and intense, uncertain struggle. Its history reaches back to antiquity: wrestling was included in the ancient Greek Olympic Games and has since developed into numerous styles and rulesets. Together, these literal and figurative meanings make wrestling a versatile word for describing contests, close physical encounters, and attempts to master something that resists easy resolution.
A sport and physical contest in which opponents grapple with one another, using grips, balance, and throws to gain control. It may also refer more generally to a close physical struggle.
"The final wrestling bout lasted five minutes."
The noun is commonly used as an uncountable name for the sport, but it can also be used countably for an individual contest.
To engage in wrestling or close physical combat. In figurative use, especially in the construction "wrestle with," it means struggling to understand, solve, or manage something difficult.
"She spent the evening wrestling with the complex calculations."
The literal verbal use is less common than the established figurative expression "wrestling with" something difficult.
The plural is rarely needed in modern usage because wrestling is usually treated as an uncountable name for the sport or activity.
"The exhibition featured several wrestlings from regional clubs."
Wrestling was already part of the ancient Greek Olympic programme, making it one of the world's oldest recorded competitive sports.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wrestling come from?
The word comes from Old English wræstlunge, meaning wrestling or grappling, and developed through Middle English forms such as wrestlinge and wrastlinge. It belongs to the inherited English vocabulary associated with the root represented by wrest and wrestle. The modern verb meaning to grapple or struggle with difficulty developed from the older physical sense, while figurative use expanded the idea of handling a difficult contest or problem.
Related word forms
How wrestling is actually used
As a noun, wrestling is usually an uncountable name for the sport or activity, though it can also refer to an individual contest. As a verb form, it often appears in figurative constructions such as "wrestling with" an issue, meaning making sustained efforts to deal with a difficult subject.