1
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
the hikers entered the dark cave with a great deal of apprehension
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrest
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law
apprehension of the burglar set the neighborhood at ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
felt a great deal of apprehension about the trip and about arriving safely
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in understanding
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
a good apprehension of how computer systems work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of apprehension
Nuclear vs renewables One obstacle to faster licensing is public apprehension about living near nuclear facilities, no matter how small.
—
Anna Heim, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Health and Human Services is supposed to play no role in the apprehension or initial detention of children and by law is not a party to children’s immigration proceedings.
—Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
To the 73 million Americans whose financial lives depend on the viability of Social Security, those first months were a seesaw of apprehension and rumor.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
Health and Human Services is supposed to play no role in the apprehension or initial detention of children and by law is not a party to children’s immigration proceedings.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehension
Anna Heim, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Health and Human Services is supposed to play no role in the apprehension or initial detention of children and by law is not a party to children’s immigration proceedings.
—Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
To the 73 million Americans whose financial lives depend on the viability of Social Security, those first months were a seesaw of apprehension and rumor.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
Health and Human Services is supposed to play no role in the apprehension or initial detention of children and by law is not a party to children’s immigration proceedings.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apprehension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehension
Noun
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Dixon looks ahead with a mix of optimism and dread.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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The assassination of Charlie Kirk has united the parties in a sense of dread that the country has arrived at a dangerous place.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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That led to additional arrests, all while ICE was opening additional immigrant detention sites in Florida, Indiana, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Tennessee.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mothers told Fletcher of sending their children to live elsewhere for fear they will be raped in the displacement camps, a constant worry.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
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The stock is still benefiting from having been dismissed and cheapened by prior fears of its search franchise being disrupted.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There’s an understanding among Hawaii residents that only students with Hawaiian blood will be admitted.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
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The coming flyby allows the chance for spacecraft to get up close and observe how interactions with Earth's gravitational field and magnetosphere influences and changes Apophis, boosting our understanding of asteroid physics.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The worry is that these aren’t simple, one-off glitches, but systemic flaws with the way that generative tools are designed and built, and a lack of accountability for the behavior of AI algorithms.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Taxes at that level were essentially a blockade on commerce between the world's two largest economies, causing worries about global growth that led to negotiations that ratcheted down the tariffs being levied by both nations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The vote to approve Miran’s nomination passed 48-47, along party lines, with Democrats expressing concern about the appointment impacting the central bank’s independence.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Motiva is helping to eliminate this concern.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The recent 40% weekly increase highlights the potential for appreciation, yet the 95% drop in 2022 illustrates the risks involved.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Brian LaCroix, restaurant operator at Chick-fil-A, said the fast food chain will no longer be offering the military appreciations special.—
Rosanna Fraire,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Add in the possibility of more extensive – and costly – work such as bridges, crowns, extractions or implants, and the anxiety can grow even stronger.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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The enthusiasm around personal curriculums and independent learning might reflect modern-day anxieties.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehension. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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