understood

adjective

un·​der·​stood ˌən-dər-ˈstu̇d How to pronounce understood (audio)
1
: fully apprehended
2
: agreed upon
3

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web We will be stuck not only with the virus but also with a little-understood and harrowing legacy: Ten to 30 percent of the hundreds of millions infected may suffer from lingering and potentially debilitating symptoms. Susan Goldberg, National Geographic, 9 Dec. 2021 While the processes that drive pole reversal are comparatively less understood, computer simulations of planetary dynamics show that the reversals arise spontaneously. Chris Holt, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2021 Two trophy skulls, recently discovered by archaeologists in the jungles of Belize, may help shed light on the little-understood collapse of the once powerful Classic Maya civilization. Gabriel D. Wrobel, Discover Magazine, 14 June 2019 Baez’s Eleanor is infected with a little-understood disease that her father avoids acknowledging directly; its consequences include a nocturnal lifestyle and an appetite, exclusively, for blood. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 6 Oct. 2022 Create the space so that AR can demonstrate the business impact just as equally as more understood disciplines like marketing and PR. Regina Hoshimi, Forbes, 27 June 2022 Clients want to feel understood and feel comfortable explaining their issues, without feeling like they will be overlooked. Ariyana Griffin, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 The Academy’s decision is emblematic of a wider problem: Even among sophisticated moviegoers, film editing remains little understood and often overlooked. Peter Tonguette, WSJ, 25 Mar. 2022 In the current Highway Code there’s a little-understood rule that pedestrians have priority at junctions. Carlton Reid, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'understood.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of understood was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near understood

Cite this Entry

“Understood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understood. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

understood

adjective
un·​der·​stood ˌən-dər-ˈstu̇d How to pronounce understood (audio)
1
: fully known
2
: agreed upon
3
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