apprehend

14 synonyms and 2 antonyms for apprehend, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To arrest someone, especially a suspected criminal.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

arrest cop

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

dig nail collar grasp compass comprehend savvy

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

nab grok pick up quail at get the picture

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To arrest someone, especially a suspected criminal.

“Police apprehended the suspect near the train station.”

arrest cop dig nail collar grasp compass comprehend savvy nab grok pick up quail at get the picture

2. verb

To understand or grasp something mentally.

“It took a while for the full scale of the disaster to be apprehended.”

Opposites

misunderstand misconceive

How to use apprehend

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

apprehend a suspect apprehend the situation

Etymology

From Old French apprehender, from Latin apprehendere, "to grab hold of," from ad- + prehendere, "to seize."

Full origin of apprehend →

Frequently asked questions

What does “apprehend” mean?

The word “apprehend” means to arrest someone, especially a suspected criminal. In plain terms, to catch/arrest someone, to understand something, or to fearfully expect something bad.

How do you pronounce “apprehend”?

“Apprehend” is pronounced ap-rih-HEHND (/ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/ in IPA).

How do you use “apprehend” in a sentence?

Here is “apprehend” used in a sentence: “Police apprehended the suspect near the train station.”

What part of speech is “apprehend”?

“Apprehend” is a verb.

Where does the word “apprehend” come from?

The word “apprehend” comes from Latin. From Old French apprehender, from Latin apprehendere, "to grab hold of," from ad- + prehendere, "to seize.".

How many meanings does “apprehend” have?

“Apprehend” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to arrest someone, especially a suspected criminal.

Related words

apprehensibility apprehensible apprehensibly apprehension apprehensive apprehensively apprise

People also searched

arrest cop dig nail collar grasp compass comprehend savvy misunderstand grok misconceive

Nearby words

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