comprehension
noun
com·pre·hen·sion
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən 
-prē-
1
a
: the act or action of grasping with the intellect : understanding
children who have difficulty with comprehension of spoken language
What the artist actually needs is comprehension of his aims and ideals by men he respects …—
H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken
b
: knowledge gained by comprehending
tests that measure the students' comprehension in math
She carried on with full comprehension of the risk involved.
c
: the capacity for understanding fully
mysteries that are beyond our comprehension
The war caused suffering beyond comprehension.
2
a
: the act or process of comprising
the comprehension of all the denominations into one Church
b
: the faculty or capability of including : comprehensiveness
the broad comprehension of the word "animal"
Examples of comprehension in a Sentence
The students showed excellent reading comprehension.
the president's comprehension of the current situation in the Middle East
Recent Examples on the Web
With layout, a clear visual hierarchy and white space improve comprehension.
—Farzana Abdulhusein, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
This eight-week class, with lessons on English grammar, pronunciation and idioms, is for adult (18 years and older) intermediate and advanced English learners who can have a conversation in English but want to improve their pronunciation and comprehension.
—Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025
The framework posture also aims to improve the comprehension of cybersecurity and incorporate space equities and goals into U.S. postures at cybersecurity and other international forums.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
The Documentary Competition Jury was collectively obsessed by this film, which combines luscious visuals, compelling and relevant archival material, and a narrative track and singular protagonist that constantly escapes the viewer’s comprehension – in a good way.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for comprehension
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Farzana Abdulhusein, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
This eight-week class, with lessons on English grammar, pronunciation and idioms, is for adult (18 years and older) intermediate and advanced English learners who can have a conversation in English but want to improve their pronunciation and comprehension.
—Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025
The framework posture also aims to improve the comprehension of cybersecurity and incorporate space equities and goals into U.S. postures at cybersecurity and other international forums.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
The Documentary Competition Jury was collectively obsessed by this film, which combines luscious visuals, compelling and relevant archival material, and a narrative track and singular protagonist that constantly escapes the viewer’s comprehension – in a good way.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for comprehension
Cite this Entry
“Comprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprehension. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
comprehension
noun
com·pre·hen·sion
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen-chən
1
: the act of comprehending
2
: knowledge gained by comprehending
3
: the capacity for understanding
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