Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

comprehend

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of comprehend

1 to have a clear idea of

  • the age at which children can comprehend the difference between right and wrong
Synonyms of comprehend

appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand
Words Related to comprehend

absorb, digest, take in

realize

fathom, penetrate, pierce
Phrases Synonymous with comprehend

pick up on
Near Antonyms of comprehend

misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand
Antonyms of comprehend

miss

2 to have a practical understanding of

  • it took me a while to comprehend algebra
Synonyms of comprehend

grasp, know, understand
Words Related to comprehend

appreciate, apprehend, cognize, fathom, follow, ken [chiefly Scottish], perceive, savvy

have, possess

catch on (to), pick up
Near Antonyms of comprehend

misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misunderstand

3 to have as part of a whole

  • our notion of morality should comprehend much more than proper sexual behavior
Synonyms of comprehend

carry, contain, embrace, encompass, entail, include, involve, number, subsume, take in
Words Related to comprehend

comprise, consist (of)

bracket

have, hold, own, possess

admit, receive

compose, constitute, form, make

assimilate, embody, incorporate, integrate
Near Antonyms of comprehend

ban, bar, debar, preclude, prevent, prohibit

deny, refuse, reject

eliminate, except, rule out

lose, mislay, misplace
Antonyms of comprehend

exclude, leave (out), miss out [British], omit

Synonym Discussion of comprehend

understand, comprehend, appreciate mean to have a clear or complete idea of. understand and comprehend are very often interchangeable. understand may, however, stress the fact of having attained a firm mental grasp of something.
    • orders that were fully understood and promptly obeyed
comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually.
    • I have trouble comprehending your reasons for doing this
appreciate implies a just evaluation or judgment of a thing's value or nature.
    • failed to appreciate the risks involved

Learn More about comprehend

  1. See words that rhyme with comprehend Dictionary: Definition of comprehend Spanish Central: Translation of comprehend Nglish: Translation of comprehend for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of comprehend for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up comprehend? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games