APPREHENSION Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

apprehension

noun

ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən

Definition of apprehension next

as in dread

suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune the hikers entered the dark cave with a great deal of apprehension

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Relevance

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as in arrest

the act of taking into one's control by authority of law apprehension of the burglar set the neighborhood at ease

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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

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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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of apprehension 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 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 See All Example Sentences for apprehension

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehension

Noun

Finding the police at our place, then, wasn’t really a surprise, and my pulse returned to its usual rhythm, oddly calmed by the fact that the dread had finally left my heart.

— Andrea Bajani, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
The prospect of voters heading to the polls in November to decide whether to give themselves a break on their property taxes has put cities in South Florida and across the state on edge, triggering alarm and dread.

— Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026