Synonyms of apprehension

apprehension

noun

ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən 

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

• dread
• worry
• anxiety
• uncertainty
• concern
• fearfulness
• unease
• apprehensiveness
• alarm
• misgiving
• uneasiness
• foreboding
• suspense
• doubt
• agitation
• perturbation
• distress
• mistrust
• disquiet
• disquietude
• wariness
• anxiousness
• solicitude
• disturbance
• funk
• pessimism
• scruple
• suspiciousness
• defeatism
• premonition
• presentiment
• incertitude
• foreknowledge
• presage

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• excitement
• anticipation
• hope
• confidence
• hopefulness
• optimism
• sanguinity

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

• arrest
• arrestment
• raid
• collar
• pinch
• imprisonment
• seizure
• bust
• capture
• detention
• confinement
• restraint
• entrapment
• incarceration
• house arrest
• captivity
• remand
• rearrest
• enchainment
• immurement
• hold

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharge
• release
• liberation
• emancipation

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

• fear
• concern
• anxiety
• worry
• unease
• concernment
• uneasiness
• nervousness
• fearfulness
• uncertainty
• disquietude
• agitation
• apprehensiveness
• disquiet
• perturbation
• solicitude
• anxiousness
• tension
• discomfort
• dread
• panic
• desperation
• doubt
• sweat
• care
• anguish
• stress
• nervosity
• agita
• dismay
• distress
• consternation
• disturbance
• tremor
• desperateness
• jitters
• alarm
• suspense
• angst
• strain
• discomposure
• misgiving
• vexation
• upset
• torment
• jumpiness
• presentiment
• distraction
• edginess
• compunction
• qualm
• franticness
• foreboding
• hand-wringing
• incertitude
• scruple
• cold feet

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unconcern
• ease
• peace
• contentment
• content
• calmness
• calm
• serenity
• easiness
• tranquility
• quietude
• relief
• peacefulness
• quiet
• placidity
• comfort
• consolation
• solace
• placidness
• sereneness
• tranquilness

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• understanding
• appreciation
• perception
• grasp
• comprehension
• awareness
• grip
• percipience
• absorption
• conception
• digestion
• assimilation
• uptake
• realization
• consciousness
• hold
• visualization
• enlightenment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incomprehension
• misunderstanding
• misinterpretation
• misapprehension
• misperception
• noncomprehension
• miscomprehension

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of apprehension

But the recent drone attacks and the Polish government’s efforts to prepare the population for further serious incidents have brought a new sense of apprehension — and also confusion — among locals. — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

All 25 models showed signs of internal coding that were specific to personally painful situations and were distinct from other negative contexts, like frustration or apprehension. — New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026

Robinson, 59, of Churchill, Pennsylvania, is the managing attorney at a Pittsburgh law firm, and has been charged with felony tampering and hindering apprehension for trying to conceal evidence. — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Licata in particular prepared for apprehension from the moment TEA Commissioner Mike Morath appointed him as the district’s leader. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026

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