Definition of comprehendnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word comprehend distinct from other similar verbs?

The words appreciate and understand are common synonyms of comprehend. While all three words mean "to have a clear or complete idea of," comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually.

I have trouble comprehending your reasons for doing this

When is it sensible to use appreciate instead of comprehend?

While the synonyms appreciate and comprehend are close in meaning, appreciate implies a just evaluation or judgment of a thing's value or nature.

failed to appreciate the risks involved

How are the words understand and comprehend related?

Both understand and comprehend are very often interchangeable, with understand sometimes stressing the fact of having attained a firm mental grasp of something.

orders that were fully understood and promptly obeyed

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 comprehend That’s a number that would have seemed unbelievable just a decade ago—and a rate of growth that experts are still struggling to comprehend. Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026 Newhouse Wildlife Rescue put a banana next to the saw-whet owl to help people comprehend its tiny size. Breana Pitts, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026 There’s a theory, often debated online, that America is home to foods the European mind (and body) simply cannot comprehend. Liam Inscoe-Jones, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2026 Kids don’t comprehend how a parent’s body has changed. Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for comprehend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comprehend
Verb
  • New transparency tools aim to help travelers understand disruptions and reduce frustration during delays and cancellations.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • And to have a guy like him who understands what the competition looks like on the floor, but is still here to kind of enhance the environment, help celebrate his teammates, give his teammates wisdom.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The vote came during the second week of a marathon debate over a controversial elections bill known as the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and certain forms of photo ID to cast a ballot.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Seals and Crofts were native Texans who had known each other since high school and played together in various groups before becoming a duo, Seals & Crofts, in the late 1960s.
    Hillel Italie, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This encompasses several key sub-questions.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
  • His empire encompasses 180 factories (including eight in the United States) producing not only tanks and artillery but warships, missiles, high-end drones, anti-aircraft batteries, and fuselages for fighter jets such as the F-35.
    Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Players will have to decipher a puzzle with clues from another player.
    Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The clicks are part of a growing sperm whale phonetic alphabet that researchers at CETI are deciphering.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Other tips include riding defensively around cars, using front and rear lights, wearing reflective vests in the dark, and avoiding biking under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
    Sarah Raza, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Some Brookhill attractions include Inner Peaks Climbing Center, an indoor rock-climbing facility, Puttery, an indoor mini-golf bar for adults and bars such as Pins Mechanical, a social spot with a retro arcade and other games.
    Chase Jordan March 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The White House’s inability to grasp the agency of others — its apparent lack of a theory of mind for everyone outside its walls — gives Democrats, especially, a distinct advantage.
    Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • For a party struggling to grasp levers of power in Washington, DC, the gambit shone a damning, bright spotlight on a controversial and politically complex issue for the GOP for more than a month.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In addition, motions in which the prosecution opposed mental health diversions for two defendants contained similar errors, Stuart wrote.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The Jumping Branch fire has spread to 275 acres and is only 30% contained, state officials said Tuesday.
    Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This is entirely believable, in the sense that many people take years to recognize abuse.
    Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Directors and managers were told to recognize the warning signs and approach contentious situations with calm, deliberate engagement.
    Evonne Andris, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Comprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comprehend. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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