1
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of
the age at which children can comprehend the difference between right and wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to know
to have a practical understanding of
it took me a while to comprehend algebra
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to encompass
to have as part of a whole
our notion of morality should comprehend much more than proper sexual behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of comprehend
That left the participants struggling to comprehend either one.
—
Jon Hamilton, NPR, 14 May 2026
While the likes of Bacon and Montesquieu and Locke taught them how to think with open yet skeptical minds—and to comprehend natural law and human rights—Cicero and Cato and Seneca showed them how to act with civic virtue.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The Texas chapter, led by Collins, is dedicated to providing everyday citizens with the necessary insight and structure to comprehend policies discussed in local decision-making.
—William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
But at a certain point, the mind can’t comprehend.
—Nick Newman, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for comprehend
Jon Hamilton, NPR, 14 May 2026
While the likes of Bacon and Montesquieu and Locke taught them how to think with open yet skeptical minds—and to comprehend natural law and human rights—Cicero and Cato and Seneca showed them how to act with civic virtue.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The Texas chapter, led by Collins, is dedicated to providing everyday citizens with the necessary insight and structure to comprehend policies discussed in local decision-making.
—William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
But at a certain point, the mind can’t comprehend.
—Nick Newman, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for comprehend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comprehend
Verb
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Even so, there is a real responsibility on the introverted leader to understand how their natural tendencies land with the people around them and how to be most effective within that awareness.—
Bill Koch,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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The colonies understood the British threat.—
Richard Torrenzano,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Verb
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One of the most painful things about this disease is knowing that promising treatments are emerging, but funding barriers and manufacturing and procedural slow-downs continue to derail progress.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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Nobody knows how often adverse events occur, said Kristen Nixon, a Johns Hopkins University researcher who has studied posts about weight loss drugs on Reddit, a popular online forum.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Absolutely, say the co-authors of a new statewide hiking guide that encompasses more than 1,000 Sunshine State trails.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
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The menu is ever changing, always encompassing new flavors as the seasons change.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Immigration experts who were trying to decipher the news said the memo was more nuanced, leading to confusion over what the change actually entailed.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
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This season, with a full deck of defensive backs — including rookies Will Lee and Zakee Wheatley — Evero will decipher his best secondary combinations.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Drone plans developed by NASA suggest the space agency is particularly interested in Arsia Mons, a shield volcano in Mars' Tharsis region, which includes the largest volcanoes in the solar system, such as Olympus Mons — almost three times as high as Mount Everest.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
25 May 2026
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Her second post included additional tattoos and her belly button piercing.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Many of the most damaging leadership breakdowns do not come from a lack of intelligence or effort, but from narrow framing, linear thinking, and an inability to grasp how organizational outcomes are shaped over time.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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Driver’s ex-cop knows the codes of cutting deals with the Russian mob; Teller’s engineer is the square who can’t grasp how doing things the right way just makes the situation worse.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
Verb
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At least one person is dead and nine are unaccounted for after an industrial tank containing some 900,000 gallons of chemicals ruptured at a paper mill in Washington state on May 26, authorities said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
27 May 2026
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Her shelves contained books on correct etiquette when entertaining (How to Do It, or, The Lively Art of Entertaining by Elsa Maxwell) and instructional books covering many areas of life, ranging from gardening and raising Siamese cats to keeping turtles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Vansteenberghe, a male model, recognized that modeling was also one of Carthen’s goals and set her up with modeling gigs and advice after leaving Fiji.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
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German and Czech immigrants who settled in Central Texas during the 1800s introduced meat-smoking and butcher shop traditions that later became foundational to what many now recognize as classic Texas barbecue, according to the Texas Historical Association.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comprehend. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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