verb
comprehend
komp-rih-HEHND
verb
1
To understand something fully.
"It took her a moment to comprehend the scale of the disaster."
"Young children may not fully comprehend the concept of death."
2
To include or contain something as part of a whole.
"The proposal comprehends several smaller initiatives."
How to Use Comprehend
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo truly grasp or understand something, mentally taking hold of it.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fail to comprehend
fully comprehend
Word Forms
comprehended past tense, comprehends singular
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It took her a moment to _____ the scale of the disaster.
Etymology
From Latin comprehendere, "to grasp," from com- + prehendere ("to seize").