apprehension
noun
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Latin Helps Build Apprehension
The Latin verb prehendere really grabs our attention. It means "to grasp" or "to seize," and it is an ancestor of various English words. It teamed up with the prefix ad- (which takes the form ap- before p and means "to," "toward," or "near") to form apprehendere, the Latin predecessor of our words apprehension, apprehend, and apprehensive. When prehendere joined the prefix com- ("with," "together," "jointly"), Latin got comprehendere, and English eventually got comprehend, comprehension, and comprehensive. Prehendere also gave us the words comprise, prehensile ("adapted for seizing or grasping"), prison, reprehend, and reprise, among others.
Synonyms
Examples of apprehension in a Sentence
Joanna Allhands, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Despite the tight end's apprehensions about his performance leading into the new season, the Chiefs have been on a 7-0 winning streak in games played so far.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Vulnerability: Leaders who share their own apprehensions about change can foster a more open and trusting environment.
—Leslie Poston, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
Math anxiety—the experience of tension, fear or apprehension when confronting mathematical problems—and innumeracy—the inability to understand and employ numerical concepts—are both quite common.
—Ellen Peters, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for apprehension 
Dictionary Entries Near apprehension
Cite this Entry
“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehension. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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