apprehend
verb
ap·pre·hend
ˌa-pri-ˈhend 
apprehended; apprehending; apprehends
2
a
: to become aware of : perceive
She immediately apprehended the problem.
b
: to anticipate especially with anxiety, dread, or fear
3
: to grasp with the understanding : recognize the meaning of
Did you know?
To apprehend is to seize, either physically or mentally. So to apprehend a thief is to nab him. But to apprehend a confusing news story, or to apprehend a difficult concept in physics, is to understand it—that is, to "grasp" it mentally. If you're apprehensive about something that's about to happen, it means you've grasped all the unpleasant possibilities and are waiting with anxiety or dread.
Examples of apprehend in a Sentence
Within hours, police had apprehended the thief.
subtle differences that are difficult to apprehend
Recent Examples on the Web
Police say Grimes was apprehended by Cincinnati police's homicide unit with assistance from the fugitive apprehension squad.
—
Hailey Roden, The Enquirer, 11 July 2025
The fourth suspect, who stayed inside of the vehicle, was also apprehended, police said.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
The officer, who has only been on the force for about a year, cut up his arm trying to apprehend him, officials said.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025
The moped-driver was apprehended and taken into custody, police said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
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Hailey Roden, The Enquirer, 11 July 2025
The fourth suspect, who stayed inside of the vehicle, was also apprehended, police said.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
The officer, who has only been on the force for about a year, cut up his arm trying to apprehend him, officials said.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025
The moped-driver was apprehended and taken into custody, police said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehend
Cite this Entry
“Apprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
apprehend
verb
ap·pre·hend
ˌap-ri-ˈhend
1
: arrest entry 1 sense 2
apprehend a burglar
2
: to look forward to with fear and uncertainty
Legal Definition
apprehend
transitive verb
ap·pre·hend
ˌa-prə-ˈhend
: arrest
Etymology
Latin apprehendere to seize, arrest, from ad to + prehendere to seize
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