Definition of comprehendnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word comprehend distinct from other similar verbs?

The words appreciate and understand are common synonyms of comprehend. While all three words mean "to have a clear or complete idea of," comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually.

I have trouble comprehending your reasons for doing this

When is it sensible to use appreciate instead of comprehend?

While the synonyms appreciate and comprehend are close in meaning, appreciate implies a just evaluation or judgment of a thing's value or nature.

failed to appreciate the risks involved

How are the words understand and comprehend related?

Both understand and comprehend are very often interchangeable, with understand sometimes stressing the fact of having attained a firm mental grasp of something.

orders that were fully understood and promptly obeyed

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of comprehend The Maracana descended into silence at full time, as the nation struggled to comprehend what had happened. Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 June 2026 For a franchise that has won four Super Bowls and, prior to the AFL-NFL merger, four NFL championships, that's just hard to comprehend. Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 18 June 2026 The title of President of the United States has belonged to only 46 people, who share the extremely unique and almost impossible to comprehend experience of running the country. Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026 Family office decisions often involve intricate emotions, relationships, and values that algorithms cannot comprehend. Andy Busser, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for comprehend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comprehend
Verb
  • When choosing a warranty, review the contract, check what is covered, and understand the claims process.
    Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • However, it is rarely used on mainstream weather maps and by TV meteorologists, who favor the heat index that has long reigned supreme and is easily understood by the public.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Cape Verde 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar Jose Evora Dias, also known as Vozinha, became a fan favorite along the way.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • Sometimes there is a fine line between being a hero or a bum, but Dave has been able to negotiate that line, because players trust him, and the players know that Dave cares about them and their families.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Their solution targets embodied carbon, the emissions baked into the hardware before it is ever switched on, encompassing all the energy and process gases consumed in manufacturing it.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026
  • The grand French state beds of the 18th century traditionally encompassed a kit that included a bed frame, canopy, mattress, sheets, pillows, coverlet, and bolster.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • In 2023, the Vesuvius Challenge made its first award for deciphering the first letters, and the following year, the project awarded the grand prize of $700,000 for producing the first readable text.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
  • On Thursday, the University of Kentucky announced a new $1 million prize to anyone able to decipher a complete scroll, a feat the researchers once considered impossible, by June next year.
    Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • They were filled with protesters — including outraged members of a teachers’ union and relatives of kidnapping victims — as well as fans skeptical of a team that, four years earlier, posted its worst World Cup performance since 1978.
    Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Plus, the power port includes three electrical outlets and three USB ports for powering appliances, speakers, and other devices.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • Another fact these tax lovers don’t grasp is that predictions of the demise of Social Security are based on historically low rates of economic growth and productivity.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Matt Smaby, a North Dakota assistant and former NHL defenseman, said there are so many other variables in playing the position that take time to fully grasp.
    Joe Smith, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Pomegranates also contain vitamin K and folate, which can help support healthy blood clotting and cell growth, respectively.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The Lineage warehouse, built in 2018, is likely to contain different materials of concern.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Your health can depend on recognizing the warning signs of too much heat and knowing how to act.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • This avian bystander may have recognized a fellow bird of prey in Coriolanus, whose role in the Roman ecosystem is necessary yet not fit for all purposes in a young democracy beset with growing pains.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Comprehend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comprehend. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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