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
Local sheriff's deputies later apprehended Routh on Interstate 95 at about Mile Marker 112 in Martin County, Treasure Coast Newspapers, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.
—
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The trailer for the film teases that Perfidia was apprehended by law enforcement prior to the start of the movie's events, leaving Bob and Willa to go on the run and seek refuge with an ally, portrayed by Benicio del Toro.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
This comes just days after hundreds of people were apprehended during a sweeping immigration raid at a Georgia manufacturing facility, marking what appears to be one of the largest ICE raids at a single site in the 22-year history of the agency.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
The immediate priority for law enforcement is locating and apprehending the suspect who should be considered armed and dangerous.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The trailer for the film teases that Perfidia was apprehended by law enforcement prior to the start of the movie's events, leaving Bob and Willa to go on the run and seek refuge with an ally, portrayed by Benicio del Toro.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
This comes just days after hundreds of people were apprehended during a sweeping immigration raid at a Georgia manufacturing facility, marking what appears to be one of the largest ICE raids at a single site in the 22-year history of the agency.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
The immediate priority for law enforcement is locating and apprehending the suspect who should be considered armed and dangerous.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 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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