apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən 

1

: suspicion or fear especially of future evil : foreboding

an atmosphere of nervous apprehension

2

: seizure by legal process : arrest

apprehension of a criminal

3

a

: the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something

a person of dull apprehension

b

: the result of apprehending something mentally : conception

according to popular apprehension

Did you know?

Latin Helps Build Apprehension

The Latin verb prehendere really grabs our attention. It means "to grasp" or "to seize," and it is an ancestor of various English words. It teamed up with the prefix ad- (which takes the form ap- before p and means "to," "toward," or "near") to form apprehendere, the Latin predecessor of our words apprehension, apprehend, and apprehensive. When prehendere joined the prefix com- ("with," "together," "jointly"), Latin got comprehendere, and English eventually got comprehend, comprehension, and comprehensive. Prehendere also gave us the words comprise, prehensile ("adapted for seizing or grasping"), prison, reprehend, and reprise, among others.

Synonyms

• alarm
• alarum
• apprehensiveness
• dread
• foreboding
• misgiving

Examples of apprehension in a Sentence

The thought of moving to a new city fills me with apprehension.

an increased number of apprehensions

Recent Examples on the Web

There is also a certain kind of apprehension among the religious minorities, and the Awami League is still a major political force even though they are much detested and much hated. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024

The apprehensions there are higher than all those recorded in the area in the past 13 fiscal years combined, according to Robert Garcia, the top Border Patrol official in the Swanton sector. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2024

In mid-November 2022, the Cincinnati police fugitive apprehension unit saw Chandler driving Downtown and tried to stop him. —Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024

Stanley was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, hindering the apprehension or punishment of a criminal, reckless conduct and violating her oath of office. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 18 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin apprehension-, apprehensio, from Latin apprehendere — see apprehend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

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Kids Definition

apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌap-ri-ˈhen-chən 

1

: arrest entry 2 sense 2

2

: an understanding of something

3

: fear of or uncertainty about what may be coming

Legal Definition

apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen-chən 

: arrest