Phrase guide

come to grips with

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To confront or deal with directly; to commence a confrontation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Until she comes to grips with her mother's death, she has no hope of putting it behind her.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: käsitellä — to confront directly
  • French: faire face — to confront directly
  • German: etwas anpacken — to confront directly
  • German: in den Griff bekommen — to confront directly
  • German: mit etwas klarkommen — to confront directly
  • German: mit etwas umgehen — to confront directly
  • German: sich in etwas einarbeiten — to confront directly
  • German: etwas bewältigen — to confront directly
  • Italian: fare i conti — to confront directly
  • Japanese: 踏み込む (fumikomu) — to confront directly
  • Polish: zmierzyć się — to confront directly
  • Polish: uporać się — to confront directly