apprehend
verb
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of apprehend in a Sentence
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023
After initially announcing that Mr. Khalife had been arrested there, the police later revised their account and said that he had been apprehended in Northolt, about 12 miles from the prison, after a plainclothes officer pulled him off a bicycle on a canal towpath.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2023
The actual culprits were later found and apprehended in the restaurant’s bathroom.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 31 Aug. 2023
The juveniles, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old, were apprehended shortly before 10 p.m. at 38 Crestwood Park, police said.
—Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2023
The federal agency disclosed Tuesday that an unnamed 29-year-old woman died Monday afternoon, roughly 20 hours after being apprehended by agents in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas.
—Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2023
Police, however, after a short foot chase, were able to apprehend the suspect.
—cleveland, 26 Aug. 2023
The man, who is in his 30s, was apprehended August 16 near Incheon, on South Korea’s west coast near to the capital Seoul, the Incheon Coast Guard said in a news release Sunday.
—Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 23 Aug. 2023
According to Chief of Police Brian James, Qi was apprehended at 2:31 p.m. local time.
—Celeste McCauley, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'apprehend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English, from Latin apprehendere, literally, to seize, from ad- + prehendere to seize — more at get
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near apprehend
Cite this Entry
“Apprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
apprehend
verb
Legal Definition
apprehend
transitive verb
Latin apprehendere to seize, arrest, from ad to + prehendere to seize
More from Merriam-Webster on apprehend
Nglish: Translation of apprehend for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of apprehend for Arabic Speakers
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