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
James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
That McDuffie is close—despite his low-key affect and late entry in the race—speaks more to apprehension about Lewis George than to the persuasiveness of his campaign.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
The percentage of arrests conducted in public spaces – streets, workplaces, courthouses and school parking lots – more than doubled, rising from 19% to nearly 50% of all apprehensions.
—Elizabeth Cox, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
In the first three months of this year, Customs and Border Protection's Big Bend Sector – a vast and seemingly boundless area covering nearly 500 miles of the Rio Grande – saw 498 apprehensions, which is just over a tenth of the apprehensions made in Texas' busiest sector.
—Carlos Morales, NPR, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehension
Cite this Entry
“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehension. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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apprehension
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apprehension
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