1
as in understanding
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 knowing
to have a practical understanding of
it took me a while to comprehend algebra
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in including
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 comprehending
Hard sci-fi, meanwhile, leans into the fact that life evolving on other planets, under different conditions, and across different stretches of time will almost certainly take on forms so different from ours that comprehending them would be like imagining a new color.
—
Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 24 Mar. 2026
As for whether comprehending the wiring of the brain really demands techniques from the frontiers of theoretical physics, questions remain.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2026
And only by comprehending the Star Eaters will Ro also comprehend his part in their potential destruction.
—Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026
And then just comprehending the infrastructure required, again, just for the eggs, let alone all the other things required.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
Heavener said her young students have a hard time comprehending what is going on.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than 230,000 Coloradans have difficulty comprehending and communicating in English.
—Micki Olson, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
The way humanity finally got to the level of ChatGPT was not by comprehending intelligence well enough to craft an intelligent mind.
—Nate Soares, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
Understanding what the Padres’ bullpen is absorbing begins with comprehending just how good it’s been.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 24 Mar. 2026
As for whether comprehending the wiring of the brain really demands techniques from the frontiers of theoretical physics, questions remain.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2026
And only by comprehending the Star Eaters will Ro also comprehend his part in their potential destruction.
—Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026
And then just comprehending the infrastructure required, again, just for the eggs, let alone all the other things required.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
Heavener said her young students have a hard time comprehending what is going on.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than 230,000 Coloradans have difficulty comprehending and communicating in English.
—Micki Olson, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
The way humanity finally got to the level of ChatGPT was not by comprehending intelligence well enough to craft an intelligent mind.
—Nate Soares, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
Understanding what the Padres’ bullpen is absorbing begins with comprehending just how good it’s been.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comprehending
Verb
-
Government officials weren’t the only people interested in understanding Japanese Americans.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This is not about rushing to share, but about understanding what’s true for you first.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Admitting not knowing much about Iran, Yan said her curiosity has only grown stronger since the war broke out.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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If Bain ends up available along with one of the top defensive backs, the depth of this edge rusher class could serve as a tiebreaker, knowing what’s available on Day 2.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Israel's military told them explicitly not to, and Lebanese army vehicles were still blocking the path to some southern areas on Friday, the BBC reported, including the entrance to Khiam, which is still occupied by Israeli soldiers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
He was initially arrested on three felony charges, including false imprisonment, but the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office ultimately declined to pursue those charges, PEOPLE reported at the time.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The study creates new criteria for deciphering old dice and allows archaeologists to further explore how games have evolved over time, researchers say.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
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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
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But when the real drama involving the pope is occurring thousands of miles and time zones away, being in the Vatican bubble is a somewhat jarring experience.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The evaluation follows a forensic audit completed in March 2025 that identified a $7 million fund involving insurance rebates, according to RSCCD Board President Phillip Yarbrough.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The top prize at the ACMs (and the rival CMA Awards), Entertainer of the Year is typically regarded as recognizing the year’s best ambassador for country music.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The second annual 18th & Vine Arts Festival Honors Awards will return this spring, recognizing artists who have shaped Kansas City’s cultural identity from within the urban core.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the Hall finds other ways to be encompassing, so there aren’t just eight inductees this year, but a whopping 18.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
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Kahan is from the Upper Valley, a quaint and seasonally verdant region encompassing parts of eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire, and sliced through by the Connecticut River—a scenic haven for canoers and for anglers chasing trout.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Others have bounced between depression protocols, strict planners or generic life-coaching without ever grasping why the puzzle pieces refuse to connect.—
Lucy Jones
April 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
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Faster grasping smarter robots The team tested HEAPGrasp on a real robotic setup across 20 scenarios involving different combinations of transparent, opaque, and reflective objects.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comprehending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comprehending. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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