Phrase guide

grappling hook

noun · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: grăpʹ(ə-)lĭng ho͝ok'
  • General-American: /ˈɡɹæp(ə)lɪŋ ˌhʊk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A type of hook attached to a line and designed to be thrown at a target (e.g. rigging of an enemy ship) for the purpose of catching hold of it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: grapnel, grapple, grappler, grappling iron

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tool

Narrower terms: crampon, crampoon

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: enter haak — a type of hook
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鉤爪 /钩爪 (gōuzhuǎ) — a type of hook
  • Dutch: enterhaak — a type of hook
  • Finnish: heittokoukku — a type of hook
  • Finnish: entraushaka — a type of hook
  • French: grappin — a type of hook
  • German: Enterhaken — a type of hook
  • Hungarian: csáklya — a type of hook
  • Italian: rampino — a type of hook
  • Latin: harpago — a type of hook
  • Norwegian Bokmål: entrehake — a type of hook
  • Portuguese: arpéu — a type of hook
  • Spanish: arpeo — a type of hook
  • Spanish: granpin — a type of hook
  • Spanish: garfio arrojadizo — a type of hook
  • Turkish: karmuk — a type of hook
  • Ottoman Turkish: قارموق (karmuk) — a type of hook
  • Ottoman Turkish: رامپه (rampa) — a type of hook