1
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
the hikers entered the dark cave with a great deal of apprehension
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrest
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law
apprehension of the burglar set the neighborhood at ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
felt a great deal of apprehension about the trip and about arriving safely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in understanding
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
a good apprehension of how computer systems work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of apprehension
An unsettled gubernatorial contest In the gubernatorial race, none of the many Democratic candidates has been able to consolidate a sizable lead, creating a lingering apprehension that Republicans could somehow eke out a stunning upset in the biggest of blue states.
—
Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Prosecutors said anyone who is assisting Lax in avoiding apprehension or harboring him will be charged and prosecuted.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
Following the initial apprehensions, the San Diego Sector Tunnel Team responded to clear the drainage system and confirm no other individuals remained inside.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
All three were taken to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center after apprehension.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehension
Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Prosecutors said anyone who is assisting Lax in avoiding apprehension or harboring him will be charged and prosecuted.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
Following the initial apprehensions, the San Diego Sector Tunnel Team responded to clear the drainage system and confirm no other individuals remained inside.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
All three were taken to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center after apprehension.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for apprehension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehension
Noun
-
Brith, filled with a sudden dread, stands very still, watching it, and the dog, sensing something, emits a low growl.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Her smile in the fantasy is one of relief and clarity, which cuts so hard after watching the dread pile up before Leslie notices her.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
So far no arrests have been made, and there is no information available on any suspects.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
The mug shot, however, had nothing to do with any current criminal investigations, which didn’t exist anyway — the photo came from a misdemeanor reckless driving arrest 23 years earlier.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
All of my rage and fear and wonder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
The computing power needs, the competition from Anthropic, the potential for a more business-to-business stream of revenue, the fear that all of the big institutions that own it will want to cash out, makes this one plain fraught.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said today that Washington and Tehran are still in contact but a memorandum of understanding between the two nations has not yet been finalized.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Also flying is the Lunar Trailblazer, a mission selected under NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, a small satellite designed to provide an understanding of the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the moon, as well as the lunar water cycle.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss but downplayed any worries about the team’s struggles after the game.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Stocks also came under pressure on Middle East worries.—
Lee Ying Shan,Justina Lee,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Analysts have previously expressed concern that US stocks of the interceptors have been depleted by the Iran conflict as well as by last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and noted that manufacturing more takes time.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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Those concerns that chopped 30% off cyber stocks earlier this year could not have been more wrong, as Jim Cramer had said all along.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Back in the dugout, Gage gave Lee a big hug in appreciation of his efforts.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
-
In an expert parody of early white-guy rap and kitschy appreciation of same, Mooney and Bennett play a couple of goofballs rap-narrating their trip to a burger place.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.—
Jon LaPook,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
While menopause is biological, many of the symptoms associated with it, including sleep disruption, anxiety, mood instability, brain fog, and fatigue, can also be amplified by chronic stress and nervous system overload.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehension. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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