apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən 

1

: suspicion or fear especially of future evil : foreboding

an atmosphere of nervous apprehension

2

: seizure by legal process : arrest

apprehension of a criminal

3

a

: the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something

a person of dull apprehension

b

: the result of apprehending something mentally : conception

according to popular apprehension

Did you know?

Latin Helps Build Apprehension

There’s quite a bit to comprehend about apprehension, so let’s take a closer look at its history. The Latin ancestor of apprehension (and of comprehend, prehensile, and even prison, among others) is the verb prehendere, meaning “to grasp” or “to seize.” When it was first used in the 14th century, apprehension could refer to the act of learning, a sense that is now obsolete, or the ability or power to understand things—learning and understanding both being ways to “grasp” knowledge or information. It wasn’t until the late 16th century that apprehension was used, as it still is today, for the physical seizure of something or someone (as an arrest). The most commonly used sense of apprehension today refers to a feeling that something bad is about to happen, when you seize up, perhaps, with anxiety or dread, having grasped all the unpleasant possibilities.

Synonyms

• alarm
• alarum
• apprehensiveness
• dread
• foreboding
• misgiving

Examples of apprehension in a Sentence

The thought of moving to a new city fills me with apprehension.

an increased number of apprehensions

Recent Examples on the Web

The Justice Department urged the court to step in, arguing state and local laws in Illinois and Chicago prohibit the sharing of certain information with federal authorities and make apprehension of undocumented migrants in those jurisdictions more difficult. —Robert Legare, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2025

Footage showed authorities removing the illicit items from his pockets following the apprehension. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 6 Feb. 2025

Those apprehensions include two men who allegedly impersonated firefighters in an effort to burglarize homes. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025

However, officers will take action in situations that involve public safety threats, apprehension of dangerous felons that pose an ongoing risk to the community, or emergencies that require the intervention of law enforcement officers. —Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin apprehension-, apprehensio, from Latin apprehendere — see apprehend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

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Kids Definition

apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌap-ri-ˈhen-chən 

1

: arrest entry 2 sense 2

2

: an understanding of something

3

: fear of or uncertainty about what may be coming

Legal Definition

apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen-chən 

: arrest