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
Troopers and sheriff's deputies ultimately located and apprehended him with the help of drone technology.
—
Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 June 2026
He was apprehended two days later in Douglas County following a large-scale search involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 9 June 2026
In the aftermath, he was seen lying on the ground, moving before officers with guns drawn moved in and apprehended him.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Fort Stewart went under a lockdown Monday afternoon after a gunman fired shots but was quickly apprehended, officials said.
—Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 June 2026
He was apprehended two days later in Douglas County following a large-scale search involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 9 June 2026
In the aftermath, he was seen lying on the ground, moving before officers with guns drawn moved in and apprehended him.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Fort Stewart went under a lockdown Monday afternoon after a gunman fired shots but was quickly apprehended, officials said.
—Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 8 June 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 13 Jun. 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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