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
The police were there to check the workers’ permits and IDs and apprehend anyone working illegally, and Nur was among those unfortunate Palestinians denied work permits for the Zionist market, either due to previous arrests for resisting the Occupation or because a relative had been arrested.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Mahady Sacko was apprehended in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and charged.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 11 Mar. 2026
As the vehicle came to rest against a fence on Main Street, Dwyer was apprehended a short distance away, according to court records.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Their job is to apprehend or defeat criminals who mess with the fabric of the universe, and that nearly always sends them to Deadford at different points in its history.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Mahady Sacko was apprehended in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and charged.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 11 Mar. 2026
As the vehicle came to rest against a fence on Main Street, Dwyer was apprehended a short distance away, according to court records.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Their job is to apprehend or defeat criminals who mess with the fabric of the universe, and that nearly always sends them to Deadford at different points in its history.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 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 18 Mar. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
