1
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken
the tenants came to an understanding with the landlord that they would be able to renew their leases for the same rent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in appreciation
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
a social observer with a deep understanding of the problems that the nation's cities face in the 21st century
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in compassionate
having or showing the capacity for sharing the feelings of another
a kind and understanding teacher who often helps troubled students
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in deriving
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information
as I understand it, this is the best plan that we have
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in knowing
to have a practical understanding of
I think I understand how an engine works now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deciphering
to have a clear idea of
after a few weeks in Russia I began to understand the language a little bit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of understanding
Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
In McConaughey, Chalamet found an offbeat role model — and an understanding ear.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Jack Dunn, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Grande spent five years with Glinda, developing her and understanding her.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for understanding
Noun
Board president Cindy Sues said Castenada has a deep understanding of the district’s values and has demonstrated strong leadership.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
In McConaughey, Chalamet found an offbeat role model — and an understanding ear.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Thanks to Comedy Central and ‘South Park’ fans for being so understanding.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
Phillips’ methodology is rooted in understanding power imbalances.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Grande spent five years with Glinda, developing her and understanding her.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for understanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understanding
Noun
-
After Pratt’s sentencing, Foster and several of the victims said the copyrights issue was an important and overlooked part of his plea agreement and sentence.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In the month-long meeting, the council decided on a set of agreements to guide how the church would observe, teach, and practice its beliefs about the life of Jesus Christ.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Because the Heat largely have moved away from the draft as their prime building component, there has become less appreciation of the possibilities.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Our sincere appreciation to all first responders, law enforcement and partners that are supporting this recovery.—
Bonny Chu , Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Elizabeth was principled and compassionate while Jessica was carefree, outgoing and manipulative, and their clashes and crushes became a welcome distraction.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Protect your rest now, and let silence restore a clear, compassionate perspective.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The very legitimacy of deriving general principles from the particulars of experience can never be established from experience without already having the principle in hand.—
Christopher Beha,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Large language models represent the first technology capable of analyzing, contextualizing and deriving insights from this avalanche of information.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But knowing a lot of the athletes personally comes with its challenges.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
In fact, much of his success came from a relentless commitment to knowing what was next.—
Katie Abel,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Pitch tipping — the art of deciphering what might be coming based on small tells a pitcher might have — is a legal and common practice.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Health care professionals are now caught between deciphering new legislation and their duty to provide quality care.—
Eleanor Sobel,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The three-way pact is scheduled for joint review starting July 1.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The pact, part of a realignment of MLB’s sports-rights relationships gives ESPN purview over thousands of games that are made available to fans outside a specific home team’s market — widely seen as some of the most passionate and enthusiastic among followers of the national pastime.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jackson smashed the perception that a Black person couldn’t be a viable presidential candidate.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Why does voters perception of his track record so far matter so much in the midterms?—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Understanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understanding. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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