Meanings
present singular third person comes to grips · participle present coming to grips · past came to grips
- intransitiveTo confront each other decisively.
The armies finally came to grips at Stalingrad.
Synonyms: get to grips
- intransitiveTo attempt to face or resolve an internal contradiction or difficulty.
The country is coming to grips and accepting its responsibilities.
1 more example
It was not until five years after graduation that she finally came to grips and began a career.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo confront each other decisively.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Bulgarian водя схватка, сблъсквам се
- водя схватка (vodja shvatka)to confront decisively
- сблъсквам се (sblăskvam se)to confront decisively
- сблъскам се (sblăskam se)to confront decisively
Polish zwierać się, zewrzeć się
- zwierać sięto confront decisively
- zewrzeć sięto confront decisively
- zwierać sięattempt to resolve an internal contradiction
- zewrzeć sięattempt to resolve an internal contradiction
Cite this entry
come to grips. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20grips
“come to grips.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20grips. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “come to grips,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20grips.
Source: come to grips on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.