apprehend

verb

ap·​pre·​hend ˌa-pri-ˈhend 

apprehended; apprehending; apprehends

transitive verb

1

: arrest, seize

apprehend a thief

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

intransitive verb

: understand, grasp

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

• appreciate
• assimilate
• behold
• catch
• catch on (to)
• cognize
• compass
• comprehend
• conceive
• cotton (to or on to)
• decipher
• decode
• dig
• discern
• get
• grasp
• grok
• intuit
• know
• make
• make out
• perceive
• recognize
• register
• savvy
• see
• seize
• sense
• tumble (to)
• twig
• understand

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

One of two suspects in a Pennsylvania home invasion shooting that left a young man dead and his mother critically wounded has been apprehended, authorities announced. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2024

Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration is grateful to law enforcement for apprehending the subject. —Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024

On Monday, Luigi Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate whose Reddit account reveals a history of back pain, was apprehended and charged with his murder. —Amy Feldman, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

At least one of the suspects accused of setting the fire that severely damaged Interstate 471 at the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge was apprehended by a Hamilton County SWAT team, according to prosecutors. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin apprehendere, literally, to seize, from ad- + prehendere to seize — more at get

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids 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

3

: understand sense 1a

Legal Definition

apprehend

transitive verb

ap·​pre·​hend ˌa-prə-ˈhend 

: arrest

Etymology

Latin apprehendere to seize, arrest, from ad to + prehendere to seize