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
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Since Ganymede likely hides a vast ocean beneath its ice shell, understanding how its magnetic field survives could offer clues about potentially habitable environments elsewhere in the solar system.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
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Because your husband is having trouble understanding that being alone in the house for extended periods isn’t good for your mental health (or physical health for that matter), perhaps your doctor can explain it to him.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Raman and Pratt are right in deeming Bass the old guard of a beat-up city — but the old guard didn’t get there without knowing how to win.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Instead, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division did little to confront the problem despite knowing about it for years, an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Associated Press and FRONTLINE (PBS) has found.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
However, the opening bid is set at $1 million, and the auction house estimates that the historic gold nugget will realize between $3 million and $7 million, not including the buyer’s premium.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
Those pullbacks, in turn, prompted legislation in several states, including Minnesota, to stop drug manufacturers from restricting their 340B discounts.—
Dené K. Dryden,
Twin Cities,
8 May 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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The issue of antisemitism is also roiling the Green Party, which has passed Labour in the polls, but is now facing numerous scandals involving its candidates posting antisemitic content.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
But as more flyers turn to booze to soothe their nerves, the number of aggressive incidents on planes involving passengers has crept up.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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An intimate gathering of filmmakers, executives, and financiers, featuring the Honours presentation recognizing Crystine Zhang with the Vanguard Award for her leadership in advancing independent filmmaking and culture-forward storytelling across the global film landscape.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
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But that wouldn’t come close to recognizing their value.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The futuristic-looking MBUX Hyperscreen is the dominant interior feature, encompassing the entire dashboard.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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The pool-scape is the most quintessentially Palm Springs area of the home, lined with loungers under the meringue yellow umbrellas and encompassing a hot tub that lights up for night-time swims.—
Kristine Hansen,
Architectural Digest,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Unfortunately, Stephen wasn’t fully grasping the news when first given, due to him still being somewhat groggy from sedation.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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Drake’s commitment to grasping every aspect of how to build and perform complicated characters was first forged at San Jose’s Montgomery Theater in 2019.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comprehending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comprehending. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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