Came to grips can be replaced with a host of synonyms, each conveying a meaning of understanding, finally grasping, or accepting. To fully comprehend a situation, synonyms such as made sense of, got a handle on, came to terms with, and comprehended could be used. For those who struggled to understand a situation for a while before finally getting a breakthrough, synonyms including cracked, deciphered, and figured out are apt. Put differently, to defeat or deal with a difficulty, grab synonyms such as tackled, wrestled with, and faced head-on could be preferred. Overall, there are multiple synonyms for the phrase came to grips which one may use based on the context and the intended message.