plural apprehensions
1
: fear that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen : a feeling of being worried about the future
The thought of moving to a new city fills me with apprehension.
There is growing apprehension [=fear] that profits will be lower than expected.
He has apprehensions [=misgivings] about the surgery.
2
formal
: the act of apprehending someone or something: such as
a
: the act of arresting someone for a crime
the sheriff's apprehension of the criminal = the criminal's apprehension by the sheriff
an increased number of apprehensions
b
somewhat old-fashioned
: the act of noticing and understanding something
the apprehension [=perception] of danger
Cite this Entry
“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/apprehension. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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