1
as in to know
to have a practical understanding of
I think I understand how an engine works now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to recognize
to have a clear idea of
after a few weeks in Russia I began to understand the language a little bit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to derive
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of understand
The Royal Navy patrol ship HMS MERSEY was monitoring the Russian vessel at the time, ABC News understands.
—
Jamie Dorrington, ABC News, 16 June 2026
Smaller black holes are the remnants of large dead stars, but the origin of the supermassive ones is poorly understood.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
Both understood that describing the human condition honestly is a first step in confronting injustice.
—The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Both Charbonneau and Shaver understood how key the breathless moment between Cay and Vivian was to Deitch’s vision — and didn’t have reservations about filming it, despite their agents’ warnings.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for understand
Jamie Dorrington, ABC News, 16 June 2026
Smaller black holes are the remnants of large dead stars, but the origin of the supermassive ones is poorly understood.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
Both understood that describing the human condition honestly is a first step in confronting injustice.
—The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Both Charbonneau and Shaver understood how key the breathless moment between Cay and Vivian was to Deitch’s vision — and didn’t have reservations about filming it, despite their agents’ warnings.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for understand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understand
Verb
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For up to a month, Luban remained in a spot off the southern coast of India that is known for high food productivity.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 June 2026
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Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known and can spread easily, especially among unvaccinated or undervaccinated populations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Verb
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When was Juneteenth recognized in Georgia?—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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Some doctors pulled back on prescriptions, recognizing the potential for abuse.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Investigators determined John Parker Roe derived a substantial portion of his income (over 50%) from the organization and that Collins used her business, Lume Lume Lume, to conceal funds disguised as consulting or wellness services.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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Adoring the outcome means deriving joy from seeing the success of others.—
Chip Bell,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The line was that lawyers weren’t technologists, by gosh, so how could they be held to comprehend that AI can hallucinate?—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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While billionaire wealth alone may be hard enough to comprehend, a trillionaire represents a level of wealth that rivals the economic output of the world's biggest nations.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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There's a science behind adding curb appeal to your home, and Thumbtack has been on a mission to decipher the paint colors that add the most appeal to your exterior.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
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What’s more, the back of the painting shows a number code which was deciphered in the project to reveal the year of production—1934.—
Margherita Bassi,
Popular Science,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Attorneys for the Justice Department asked Cooper for more time to respond to Beatty, saying the Kennedy Center is still deciding how to proceed.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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Lucky decides to take Mason to his first baseball game in Atlanta, only to encounter a series of complications and setbacks for which fatherhood, grief, and economic barriers are a distinct part of the Black American experience.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Manya wouldn’t appreciate my describing them this way, but the scenes are emotional.—
Whitney Friedlander,
Variety,
14 June 2026
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Martin appreciated the note, but recognized that even in his seemingly heartfelt apology, McAfee could not adapt his belief system to fit her experience.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Iran is thought to have 972 pounds of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, according to the IAEA.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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In the top of the first inning, Rangers catcher Elias Diaz pointed at first base thinking there would be a first-base umpire, when the umpire was in the middle of the diamond.—
Cal Phillips
June 19,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Understand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understand. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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