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

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.

Synonyms

• dread
• worry
• anxiety
• uncertainty
• fearfulness
• concern
• unease

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

The discount indicates investor apprehension regarding BP’s evolving strategy, declining earnings, and structural obstacles. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

User-friendly design and the seamless transaction experience is the way this app alleviates any apprehensions users may have had about cryptocurrencies. —Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 23 June 2025

Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood didn’t mince words Friday at a press conference announcing the suspect’s apprehension. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025

But the county requested an apprehension order to return him to a hospital or mental health facility. —Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 19 June 2025

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

Rhymes for apprehension

• comprehension
• condescension
• hypertension
• hypotension
• reinvention
• reprehension
• resuspension
• attention
• contention
• convention
• declension
• detention

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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