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
Brown was extradited to Miami from Essex County, New Jersey, where law enforcement took him Thursday after apprehending him in Dubai.
—
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
Armed agents, who once apprehended migrants across the US’s borders and stopped drug and human trafficking operations, now stand sentinel over federal immigration facilities that are the sites of immigration protests.
—Andy Rose 19 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Buena Vista police said a warrant for Brown's arrest has been issued and authorities are working to apprehend her.
—Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Hopkins later gets shot while trying to apprehend the crooks and gets a visit from the ladies while in the hospital.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
Armed agents, who once apprehended migrants across the US’s borders and stopped drug and human trafficking operations, now stand sentinel over federal immigration facilities that are the sites of immigration protests.
—Andy Rose 19 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Buena Vista police said a warrant for Brown's arrest has been issued and authorities are working to apprehend her.
—Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Hopkins later gets shot while trying to apprehend the crooks and gets a visit from the ladies while in the hospital.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 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 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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