wrestle

(n) the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat
- they had a fierce wrestle
- we watched his grappling and wrestling with the bully
grappling, hand-to-hand struggle, wrestling, grapple,

(v) combat to overcome an opposing tendency or force
- He wrestled all his life with his feeling of inferiority
(v) engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate
- I wrestled with this decision for years
(v) to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)
- The prisoner writhed in discomfort
- The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace
squirm, twist, worm, wriggle, writhe,
(v) engage in a wrestling match
- The children wrestled in the garden

grappling hand-to-hand struggle wrestling grapple squirm twist worm wriggle writhe

wrester

wrestler