Synonym Chooser

How is the word understand distinct from other similar verbs?

The words appreciate and comprehend are common synonyms of understand. While all three words mean "to have a clear or complete idea of," 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

When is it sensible to use appreciate instead of understand?

The synonyms appreciate and understand are sometimes interchangeable, but appreciate implies a just evaluation or judgment of a thing's value or nature.

failed to appreciate the risks involved

Where would comprehend be a reasonable alternative to understand?

Although the words comprehend and understand have much in common, comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually.

I have trouble comprehending your reasons for doing this

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 understand Petite shoppers understand the struggles of shopping for dresses all too well: mini dresses fall awkwardly below the knee, midi dresses puddle at the ankles, maxi dresses drag on the floor, and sleeves require constant cuffing. Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2025 Before Newcastle’s takeover in 2021, players understood that Tyneside was not a place to fulfil ambitions. George Caulkin, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025 Trained to understand player context and urgency, these systems ensure that the support is fast, relevant and empathetic. Anees Ali Khan, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 Veterans understand the weight of our duty: to defend America against all threats to our democracy. Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for understand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understand
Verb
  • Several of the Jeep fans who spoke to the Free Press mentioned or knew of the recent contest FCA hosted to pick a Jeep Top Canine from thousands of entries.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
  • In the event of your vehicle hydroplaning, here's what to know: Ease off the accelerator - Step off the gas to slow down the vehicle until the tires find traction.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Frontier Fiber Frontier is recognized for its budget-friendly fiber internet plans in Los Angeles.
    Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
  • The city is nationally recognized as a gastronomic hub, and is a central urban base for Indigenous and traditional peoples’ movements.
    Davi Neustein, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Where do medications come from? Aspirin was derived from the willow tree.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
  • They are derived from bamboo, providing natural cooling properties.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But overall, people seem to finally comprehend that the protests aren’t just to annoy people.
    Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
  • The fall of the industry has been so vertiginous that it’s been hard to fully comprehend its decline.
    Eric Benson, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Families already navigating the stress of a loved one’s declining health now have to decipher care levels, review costs, evaluate dining and activity programs, check safety records, and determine whether leadership turnover could impact quality of care.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • By the end of a muggy night, Cal Raleigh was outside the visiting clubhouse in a small corridor quietly explaining how the Yankees were able to decipher pitches thrown by closer Andres Munoz.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • However, the applicant team decided instead to proceed to a city hearing, where it was suggested the project be modified to address issues with drainage and setbacks.
    Ashley Mackin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
  • So instead of targeting 2% inflation, the Fed decided to aim for inflation that averages 2% over time.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • These are heady days for the club and that is something to hold onto and appreciate.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Every panel and every page are so luxuriously rendered that Skybound is offering a deluxe oversized edition for fans who want to appreciate every detail.
    Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • An invasive planthopper native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly is thought to have entered the U.S. via egg masses on a stone shipment in 2012, according to Cornell Integrated Pest Management.
    Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 25 Aug. 2025
  • The American consumer thinks other countries are paying these tariffs.
    Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Understand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understand. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

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