apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən 

1

: suspicion or fear especially of future evil : foreboding

an atmosphere of nervous apprehension

2

: seizure by legal process : arrest

apprehension of a criminal

3

a

: the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something

a person of dull apprehension

b

: the result of apprehending something mentally : conception

according to popular apprehension

Did you know?

Latin Helps Build Apprehension

The Latin verb prehendere really grabs our attention. It means "to grasp" or "to seize," and it is an ancestor of various English words. It teamed up with the prefix ad- (which takes the form ap- before p and means "to," "toward," or "near") to form apprehendere, the Latin predecessor of our words apprehension, apprehend, and apprehensive. When prehendere joined the prefix com- ("with," "together," "jointly"), Latin got comprehendere, and English eventually got comprehend, comprehension, and comprehensive. Prehendere also gave us the words comprise, prehensile ("adapted for seizing or grasping"), prison, reprehend, and reprise, among others.

Synonyms

• alarm
• alarum
• apprehensiveness
• dread
• foreboding
• misgiving

Examples of apprehension in a Sentence

The thought of moving to a new city fills me with apprehension.

an increased number of apprehensions

Recent Examples on the Web

Similar apprehensions were evident in 2006 when CVC Capital Partners faced regulatory demands to divest from MotoGP during its acquisition of Formula 1. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024

The legislation advanced out of the House despite opposition from liberal Democrats, and some apprehension from Republicans, who took issue with a number of culture-war amendments that made it into the traditionally bipartisan bill. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024

Following his apprehension at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pa. on Monday, Dec. 9, Mangione was charged with five criminal counts, including one for forgery and another for a weapons offense after police allege he was found with fake IDs and a gun. —Liam Quinn, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Despite the dip in border apprehensions, migration through Panama’s Darién gap rose in September. —Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin apprehension-, apprehensio, from Latin apprehendere — see apprehend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Kids Definition

apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌap-ri-ˈhen-chən 

1

: arrest entry 2 sense 2

2

: an understanding of something

3

: fear of or uncertainty about what may be coming

Legal Definition

apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen-chən 

: arrest