apprehension
noun
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Latin Helps Build Apprehension
There’s quite a bit to comprehend about apprehension, so let’s take a closer look at its history. The Latin ancestor of apprehension (and of comprehend, prehensile, and even prison, among others) is the verb prehendere, meaning “to grasp” or “to seize.” When it was first used in the 14th century, apprehension could refer to the act of learning, a sense that is now obsolete, or the ability or power to understand things—learning and understanding both being ways to “grasp” knowledge or information. It wasn’t until the late 16th century that apprehension was used, as it still is today, for the physical seizure of something or someone (as an arrest). The most commonly used sense of apprehension today refers to a feeling that something bad is about to happen, when you seize up, perhaps, with anxiety or dread, having grasped all the unpleasant possibilities.
Examples of apprehension in a Sentence
Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Lawrence Police Department's pursuit policy Indiana's statewide police pursuit policy adopted in 2022 states officers should use their discretion when initiating a pursuit and should not pursue if the risk to public safety greatly outweighs the need for immediate apprehension.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
During a news conference, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the information that led to the apprehension was provided to her Friday morning between 10 and 11 a.m.
—George Solis, NBC news, 27 June 2025
The program will not include apprehension or narcotics- or enforcement-related activities.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehension
Cite this Entry
“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehension. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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apprehension
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