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
They weren’t provided with arrest warrants or any paperwork explaining why they were being apprehended.
—
Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Another trooper used a taser to apprehend the suspect, officials said.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Yan was apprehended on the same date and has been detained since her arrest, according to court records.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
Jail records obtained by Monterey Bay area news station KSBW indicate that he was apprehended at Disney World.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Another trooper used a taser to apprehend the suspect, officials said.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Yan was apprehended on the same date and has been detained since her arrest, according to court records.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
Jail records obtained by Monterey Bay area news station KSBW indicate that he was apprehended at Disney World.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
Cite this Entry
“Apprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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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