perception

1 the ability to understand inner qualities or relationships a writer of considerable perception, she remembers how it feels to be confused and insecure Synonyms discernment, insight, wisdom, perceptiveness, perceptivity, sagaciousness, sagacity, sageness, sapienceRelated Words acuity, acumen, astuteness, clear-sightedness, keenness, penetration, percipience, perspicacity, sensitivity, understanding; appreciation, apprehension, comprehension, grasp; brain(s), braininess, brightness, brilliance, canniness, cleverness, gray matter, intellect, intelligence, judgment (or judgement), mentality, power, reason, sense, smartness, wit; discrimination, foresight, foresightedness, judiciousness, prudence, sanity; logic, rationalityNear Antonyms density, dullness (also dulness), obtuseness; brainlessness, folly, foolishness, idiocy, imbecility, mindlessness, silliness, simplemindedness, simpleness, stupidity, witlessness; illogic, irrationality, unreasonableness, unsoundness; craziness, insanity, lunacy, madness; preposterousness, senselessness, silliness, zaniness

2 the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something a growing perception of the enormity of the problem Synonyms appreciation, apprehension, grasp, grip, hold, comprehension, percipience, understandingRelated Words absorption, assimilation, digestion, uptake; conception, visualization; awareness, consciousness, enlightenment, realizationNear Antonyms misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misperception, misunderstandingAntonyms incomprehension, noncomprehension