apprehend
verb
ap·pre·hend
ˌa-pri-ˈhend 
apprehended; apprehending; apprehends
2
a
: to become aware of : perceive
She immediately apprehended the problem.
b
: to anticipate especially with anxiety, dread, or fear
3
: to grasp with the understanding : recognize the meaning of
Did you know?
To apprehend is to seize, either physically or mentally. So to apprehend a thief is to nab him. But to apprehend a confusing news story, or to apprehend a difficult concept in physics, is to understand it—that is, to "grasp" it mentally. If you're apprehensive about something that's about to happen, it means you've grasped all the unpleasant possibilities and are waiting with anxiety or dread.
Synonyms
Examples of apprehend in a Sentence
Within hours, police had apprehended the thief.
subtle differences that are difficult to apprehend
Recent Examples on the Web
In fiscal 2023, the ERO office in Houston apprehended 13,595 undocumented migrants, with a substantial portion—7,100 individuals—having prior criminal convictions, while an additional 2,427 were facing pending criminal charges at the time of their arrest.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
The overwhelming majority apprehended nationwide, including at the northern border, are single adults, according to the data.
—Bethany Blankley | The Center Square Contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Nov. 2024
During Biden’s first three years in office, the Border Patrol apprehended about 2 million people per year on average trying to enter the U.S. between border crossings.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 3 Nov. 2024
Detectives apprehended Warren last week — his fifth arrest in five months, court records show.
—Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for apprehend 
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David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
The overwhelming majority apprehended nationwide, including at the northern border, are single adults, according to the data.
—Bethany Blankley | The Center Square Contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Nov. 2024
During Biden’s first three years in office, the Border Patrol apprehended about 2 million people per year on average trying to enter the U.S. between border crossings.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 3 Nov. 2024
Detectives apprehended Warren last week — his fifth arrest in five months, court records show.
—Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for apprehend
Dictionary Entries Near apprehend
Cite this Entry
“Apprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
apprehend
verb
ap·pre·hend
ˌap-ri-ˈhend
1
: arrest entry 1 sense 2
apprehend a burglar
2
: to look forward to with fear and uncertainty
Legal Definition
apprehend
transitive verb
ap·pre·hend
ˌa-prə-ˈhend
: arrest
Etymology
Latin apprehendere to seize, arrest, from ad to + prehendere to seize
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