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
Ellis was quickly apprehended by North Olmsted police officers, who spotted Ellis walking with a knife in her hand, per the release.
—
Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
According to the Paris prosecutor, authorities apprehended one suspect at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Saturday night.
—NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
Between 2013 and 2014, the number of unaccompanied children apprehended at the border increased nearly 80%, from 38,759 in fiscal year 2013 to 68,541 in fiscal year 2014.
—Louis Casiano , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
In 2000, Tucker was apprehended and sentenced to 13 years in prison at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
According to the Paris prosecutor, authorities apprehended one suspect at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Saturday night.
—NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
Between 2013 and 2014, the number of unaccompanied children apprehended at the border increased nearly 80%, from 38,759 in fiscal year 2013 to 68,541 in fiscal year 2014.
—Louis Casiano , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
In 2000, Tucker was apprehended and sentenced to 13 years in prison at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
Cite this Entry
“Apprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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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