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.
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
Nine migrants detained in attempt to enter La Jolla by boat
Nine people were apprehended over the weekend after making landfall in La Jolla during an attempt to enter the United States by boat, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
—
Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2025
Footage of the low-stakes battle was captured by the resident's doorbell camera, which shows the gator moving door-to-door in Tortuga, a residential neighborhood in Fort Myers, before it was apprehended by a state alligator trapper.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 12 May 2025
He was apprehended a few days later after one of Eminem’s employees saw him while shopping at a Walmart.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
After his older brother was apprehended, the 17-year-old was placed in a facility for unaccompanied youths in California.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2025
Footage of the low-stakes battle was captured by the resident's doorbell camera, which shows the gator moving door-to-door in Tortuga, a residential neighborhood in Fort Myers, before it was apprehended by a state alligator trapper.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 12 May 2025
He was apprehended a few days later after one of Eminem’s employees saw him while shopping at a Walmart.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
After his older brother was apprehended, the 17-year-old was placed in a facility for unaccompanied youths in California.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
Cite this Entry
“Apprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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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