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
Edwards and the 14-year-old were later apprehended in Maryland following a police chase.
—
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025
Reed initially fled the scene but was apprehended the next day.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Deem fired his weapon at the suspects, but no injuries were reported, and the disturbance suspect has not been apprehended.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025
Mitchell was pursued on foot by police to 63 Washington Street, where he was apprehended and frisked.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 24 Nov. 2025
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.
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025
Reed initially fled the scene but was apprehended the next day.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Deem fired his weapon at the suspects, but no injuries were reported, and the disturbance suspect has not been apprehended.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025
Mitchell was pursued on foot by police to 63 Washington Street, where he was apprehended and frisked.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 24 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 30 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share