EN

Synonyms for apprehend

  • verb

Most common

comprehend understand perceive know believe gather arrest catch

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Comprehend

comprehend, understand, recognize UK US, recognise UK, perceive, know, realize, realise UK, see, grasp, conceive, appreciate, get the picture informal, dig, fancy, compass, savvy informal, discern, grok slang

2. Gather — to have a conception of (something); to consider, to regard

believe, gather, opine, reckon, ween

3. Arrest

arrest, nab, cop, collar, nail

4. Catch — to take hold of (something) with understanding; to conceive (something) in the mind; to become cognizant of…

catch, take, get

Other

detain, capture, seize, anticipate, fear, feer US, fere UK, expect, dread, pinch, forebode

Antonyms

release, free, liberate

All antonyms of apprehend →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To take hold of (something) with understanding; to conceive (something) in the mind; to become cognizant of; to understand.

  2. v. 2

    To have a conception of (something); to consider, to regard.

  3. v. 3

    To be or become aware of (something); to perceive.

  4. v. 4

    To acknowledge the existence of (something); to recognize.

Related words

Word family
apprehendable apprehended apprehensible apprehension apprehensive apprehensively apprise

Forms

Past participle
apprehended
e.g. apprehended → comprehended, recognized, perceived, known…

Choose the right word

Apprehend or Expect?

We apprehend what we both expect and fear.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • realize I realize I don't actually really need a sailboat.
  • grasp I was able to grasp the main points of the speech.
  • perceive I perceive by your face that you have good news.
  • comprehend This theory is too difficult for me to comprehend.
  • gather You must gather your party before venturing forth.
  • reckon What do you reckon the voter turnout will be today?

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
apprehendsteady
realizerising
grasprising
perceiverising
comprehendrising
gatherrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
get1, see1, cop1, dig1, nab1
4 letters
know1, take1, fear1, nail1, ween, grok, fere, feer
5 letters
catch1, fancy2, grasp1, seize1, pinch1, savvy2, dread1, opine2
6 letters
expect2, arrest2, gather2, collar2, reckon2, detain2
7 letters
believe2, realize3, capture2, realise3, compass2, discern2
8 letters
perceive2, conceive2, forebode2
9 letters
recognize3, recognise3
10 letters
understand3, appreciate4, comprehend3, anticipate4

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (fancy2 = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français
appréhender
Español
aprehender
Català
aprehendre