Definition of understandingnext
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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

understanding

2 of 3

adjective

understanding

3 of 3

verb

present participle of understand
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3

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 understanding
Noun
Since the memorandum of understanding's unraveling, Iran has resumed attacks on ships in the strait that Iranian leaders say lack permission to access the channel. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 That understanding for the narrator is one tinged with mourning for the boy who endured but also the suspect boy who was always there, even before all the unfortunate happenings. Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
At the command, my commanding officer was very understanding. Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 10 May 2026 Letting go of the camera metaphor could be a step toward better understanding how memory works. Gabrielle Principe, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
Verb
The Yankee Stadium crowd went into a frenzy, understanding just what that moment meant. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 What might have seemed dull to a thought stimulated by the senses or by intellectual pursuits becomes an opportunity to listen for what Christ is imparting to us – nurturing our progress in understanding the things of Spirit, God. Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for understanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understanding
Noun
  • The Virgo Moon moves through your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, highlighting money, emotional stakes, private agreements, and what needs more precision.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican nominee also said the work agreements that allow many state employees to perform their jobs remotely need reform as well.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • There does seem to have been a high and immediate sense of understanding and appreciation between the president and Collier, so such an exchange between them seems possible.
    Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Vanity Fair of today embodies a certain sort of lavishness—an often unironic appreciation of and yearning for rich people things.
    Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Healthcare needs talented, compassionate clinicians now more than ever.
    Jeff Giullian, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Social Security uses technology to scan disability applications for conditions on the compassionate allowances list, and those applications often receive approval within days, according to one law firm.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Understand that your parents must be deriving some satisfaction from encouraging your brother’s dependency.
    Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Adoring the outcome means deriving joy from seeing the success of others.
    Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • Locating those places and knowing how to hunt them can tremendously improve your hourly flush rate.
    Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • After all, an agent could accept a URL and download a malicious package without its human user even knowing.
    David Berreby, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Western San Gabriel Mountains/Highway 14 Corridor When an air quality alert pops up on the radar, deciphering its implications is crucial.
    Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 30 July 2026
  • Jonestown afflicted Naipaul’s vision, his way of deciphering not just political manias but the dreariness of urban life, the perpetual doom of the nuclear-arms race.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • That means even products that otherwise qualify for preferential treatment under the North American trade pact could have been included in these duties.
    Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The countries have held joint military drills and signed a nuclear power development pact and agreed to cooperate in human space flight projects including the selection and training of Myanmar’s first cosmonaut.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Federal incentives attached to adoption fed the perception of coercion, even though the standards were developed outside the federal government and state adoption was voluntary.
    Michael Casserly, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In Season 3, Jeff Daniels appeared as Jimmy’s father, and Segel said that had been a great revelation in what drives Jimmy and his perception of Paul as a kind of father figure.
    Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Understanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understanding. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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