understand

verb

un·​der·​stand ˌən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce understand (audio)
understood ˌən-dər-ˈstu̇d How to pronounce understand (audio) ; understanding

transitive verb

1
a
: to grasp the meaning of
understand Russian
b
: to grasp the reasonableness of
his behavior is hard to understand
c
: to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of
understand finance
d
: to be thoroughly familiar with the character and propensities of
understands children
2
: to accept as a fact or truth or regard as plausible without utter certainty
we understand that he is returning from abroad
3
: to interpret in one of a number of possible ways
4
: to supply in thought as though expressed
"to be married" is commonly understood after the word engaged

intransitive verb

1
: to have understanding : have the power of comprehension
2
: to achieve a grasp of the nature, significance, or explanation of something
3
: to believe or infer something to be the case
4
: to show a sympathetic or tolerant attitude toward something
understandability noun
understandable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for understand

understand, comprehend, appreciate mean to have a clear or complete idea of.

understand and comprehend are very often interchangeable.

understand may, however, stress the fact of having attained a firm mental grasp of something.

orders that were fully understood and promptly obeyed

comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually.

I have trouble comprehending your reasons for doing this

appreciate implies a just evaluation or judgment of a thing's value or nature.

failed to appreciate the risks involved

Examples of understand in a Sentence

I can't understand a word you're saying. I don't understand these directions. I want you to stay away from her. Do you understand? I don't understand how this is supposed to work. He doesn't really understand the situation. You should read the book in order to understand more about the subject. I can't understand why she would do such a thing. She's beginning to understand what's going on. You have to understand that I had no other choice. At first we didn't get along, but I think we understand each other now.
Recent Examples on the Web Experts stressed that more research is necessary to understand how the female body responds to exercise across its lifespan. Kaitlin Vogel, Health, 20 Mar. 2024 Harrison acknowledges that this new approach has potential risks that need to be better understood. Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 The real game-changers understand that success isn’t handed to them — it’s seized through a relentless pursuit of excellence, an unwavering commitment to innovation and there’s no singular path to this success. Anto Dotcom, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2024 Others, though, didn’t quite understand what Jordan Kahn was trying to do with his experimental cooking and his immersive, experiential style of dining. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 If Cauce targets someone without ties to the region — someone like Dannen — then her selection must be willing to understand the UW culture and the Seattle community. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Just getting used to and understanding the structure of a kimono was helpful. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024 All while also understanding that his play in the coming weeks will likely help determine his NBA future. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 If a 23-year-old can understand the value of newspapers and relay it to her generation on TikTok, maybe this old-fashioned medium will be cool, again. Jodie Valade, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'understand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English understandan, from under + standan to stand

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of understand was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near understand

Cite this Entry

“Understand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understand. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

understand

verb
un·​der·​stand ˌən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce understand (audio)
understood -ˈstu̇d How to pronounce understand (audio) ; understanding
1
a
: to get the meaning of : comprehend
b
: to have thorough acquaintance with
understand the arts
2
: to have reason to believe : gather, infer
I understand that they will arrive today
3
: to take as meaning something not openly made known : interpret, explain
understand the letter to be a refusal
4
: to have a sympathetic attitude
my cousin doesn't understand about these things
5
: to supply in thought as if expressed
"to be married" is commonly understood after the word "engaged"
understandable adjective
understandably
-blē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on understand

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