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 Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. Ivis García, The Conversation, 30 May 2025 The Times spoke to both sides, as well as multiple experts to better understand the high-stakes litigation, which faces obstacles but could shake up California’s home insurance industry. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025 For a long time, a very evolved, smart person that makes poor choices sometimes can still understand what that means. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 30 May 2025 The realtor also pulled permits to help determine a timeline of events to understand when some of the damage occurred. Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for understand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understand
Verb
  • Naturally derived emulsifiers may not always be better.
    Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 30 May 2025
  • This includes Francoise Bettencourt Meyers of France, an heiress to the L’Oreal fortune who is worth $86 billion, by far the largest fortune to derive from a pure beauty company.
    Jemima McEvoy, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • They are also known as direct-to-participant trials or virtual studies.1 DCTs may offer several benefits, including convenience for participants.
    Carrie Madormo, Health, 31 May 2025
  • Whether yours is filled with down, polyester, or something in between, knowing how to wash it properly can mean the difference between preserving its plush feel and ending up with a lumpy, flattened mess.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • So that we're all being recognized is what matters most.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 27 May 2025
  • Gladly aims to deepen loyalty by delivering experiences where customers feel recognized.
    Joseph Ansanelli, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • The court rejected the administration’s argument this time, deciding that Trump’s sweeping tariffs exceeded his authority to regulate imports under IEEPA.
    Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025
  • Those include the major questions doctrine, which says Congress needs to give clear authorization for federal agencies to decide issues of major economic significance, and the nondelegation doctrine, which holds that Congress can't delegate its legislative power to the executive branch.
    Joe Walsh, CBS News, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • For a soldier, a letter holds a meaning that’s hard to comprehend for anyone who hasn’t worn the uniform.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 26 May 2025
  • Despite the fact that a majority of business leaders comprehend the concept of DevOps, most have difficulty framing its worth in anything other than technical terms.
    Sai Sandeep Ogety, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • As Guidry and Bowen try to decipher what led to Adam’s murder, viewers are taken on a ride.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 May 2025
  • As advocates on both sides of the police accountability debate decipher what Trump's about-face means for those communities, some are now focusing on what his administration might do next as allies seek to redefine the summer of 2020.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • One mother thought she was headed to Washington, D.C.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 1 June 2025
  • These studies were also really an investigation of color, thinking of the way graphic scores can work and trying to convey a mood or tone through color theory.
    Caitlin Woolsey, Artforum, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • Shepperson said his brother B.J. loved horses and would have really appreciated what this program is doing to help other veterans.
    Kennedy Hayes, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2025
  • Clara Karger, a spokesperson for Bass, said her boss appreciates that the council gave the authority for the LAPD to increase recruitment — adding as much as 480 officers — if financial circumstances improve.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Understand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understand. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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