Synonyms of understands

understands

verb

present tense third-person singular of understand

1

as in derives

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

• derives
• decides
• thinks
• concludes
• infers
• assumes
• deduces
• extrapolates
• reasons
• judges
• speculates
• guesses
• supposes
• ascertains
• reads
• gathers
• makes out
• interprets
• draws a conclusion
• contemplates
• surmises
• construes
• rationalizes
• philosophizes
• conjectures
• finds out
• dopes (out)

2

as in knows

to have a practical understanding of

I think I understand how an engine works now

Synonyms & Similar Words

• knows
• comprehends
• grasps
• appreciates
• possesses
• perceives
• apprehends
• follows
• cognizes
• has
• kens
• savvies
• fathoms
• catches on (to)
• picks up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• misunderstands
• misinterprets
• misconceives
• misapprehends
• misperceives
• misknows

3

as in recognizes

to have a clear idea of

after a few weeks in Russia I began to understand the language a little bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

• knows
• recognizes
• comprehends
• appreciates
• sees
• deciphers
• grasps
• realizes
• perceives
• discerns
• gets
• conceives
• senses
• intuits
• apprehends
• makes
• beholds
• assimilates
• decodes
• cognizes
• seizes
• registers
• tumbles (to)
• digs
• groks
• makes out
• catches on (to)
• catches
• twigs
• absorbs
• picks up on
• savvies
• cottons (to or on to)
• compasses
• digests
• penetrates
• takes in
• pierces
• fathoms

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• misses
• misunderstands
• misinterprets
• mistakes
• misreads
• misconstrues
• misconceives
• misapprehends
• misperceives

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of understands

Deadline understands that 11% of staff in BBC Media Tech applied for voluntary redundancy, but only 40% (the 151 figure) can be accepted. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026

Meta's Edge Meta, thanks to Facebook and Instagram in particular, understands how human beings interact with one another online. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026

Someone who’s worked across asset classes and client types—who understands the business from multiple angles—tends to become more valuable over time, both to us and to clients. — Steven Boydstun, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Any parent who remembers the frequent visits of a baby’s first year understands why reliable access to pediatric care matters. — Nicolette Natale, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026

The former head of Google China, who has also held senior executive roles at Microsoft and Apple, understands intimately how Silicon Valley leaders think. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Sacramento State’s team, to a man, understands who and what is invading Hornet Stadium on Saturday night on ESPN, a thundering herd of buffalo rooted in tradition in the form of the North Dakota State Bison. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

State prosecutors told the court that although the attorney general understands the defendant's grief, the case must proceed as a matter of public interest. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

New York already understands the importance of making its cultural life more accessible, and Mayor Mamdani’s recent TDF initiative to give free tickets to high schoolers offers one model. — Brian Beirne, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026