comprehend

Tweet

verb

Definition of COMPREHEND

1

to have a clear idea of <the age at which children can comprehend the difference between right and wrong>

Synonyms appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, 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

Related Words absorb, digest, take in; realize; fathom, penetrate, pierce

Phrases pick up on

Near Antonyms misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

Antonyms miss

2

to have a practical understanding of <it took me a while to comprehend algebra>

Synonyms comprehend, grasp, understand

Related Words appreciate, apprehend, cognize, fathom, follow, ken [chiefly Scottish], perceive, savvy; have, possess; catch on (to), pick up

Near Antonyms misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misunderstand

3

to have as part of a whole <our notion of morality should comprehend much more than proper sexual behavior>

Synonyms carry, comprehend, contain, embrace, encompass, entail, involve, number, subsume, take in

Related Words comprise, consist (of); bracket; have, hold, own, possess; admit, receive; compose, constitute, form, make; assimilate, embody, incorporate, integrate

Near Antonyms ban, bar, debar, preclude, prevent, prohibit; deny, refuse, reject; eliminate, except, rule out; lose, mislay, misplace

Antonyms exclude, leave (out), miss out [British], omit