understand
Americanverb (used with object)
-
understands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
understood,
past participle, past
-
understanding
present participle
-
to perceive the meaning of; grasp the idea of; comprehend.
to understand Spanish; I didn't understand your question.
-
to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of.
to understand a trade.
-
to assign a meaning to; interpret.
He understood her suggestion as a complaint.
-
to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of.
He does not understand responsibility.
-
to regard as firmly communicated; take as agreed or settled.
I understand that you will repay this loan in 30 days.
-
to learn or hear.
I understand that you are going out of town.
-
to accept as true; believe.
I understand that you are trying to be truthful, but you are wrong.
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to construe in a particular way.
You are to understand the phrase literally.
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to supply mentally (something that is not expressed).
verb (used without object)
-
understands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
understood,
past participle, past
-
understanding
present participle
-
to perceive what is meant; grasp the information conveyed.
She told them about it in simple words, hoping they would understand.
-
to accept tolerantly or sympathetically.
If you can't do it, I'll understand.
-
to have knowledge or background, as on a particular subject.
He understands about boats.
-
to have a systematic interpretation or rationale, as in a field or area of knowledge.
He can repeat every rule in the book, but he just doesn't understand.
verb
-
(may take a clause as object) to know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
I understand you
I understand what you mean
-
(may take a clause as object) to realize or grasp (something)
he understands your position
-
(tr; may take a clause as object) to assume, infer, or believe
I understand you are thinking of marrying
-
(tr) to know how to translate or read
can you understand Spanish?
-
(tr; may take a clause as object; often passive) to accept as a condition or proviso
it is understood that children must be kept quiet
-
(tr) to be sympathetic to or compatible with
we understand each other
Usage
What are other ways to say understand? To understand something is to be thoroughly familiar with it, or to apprehend clearly its character, nature, or subtleties. How is understand different from know and comprehend? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
understandsimple
-
understandssimple
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have understoodperfect
-
has understoodperfect
-
am understandingprogressive
-
are understandingprogressive
-
is understandingprogressive
-
have been understandingperfect progressive
-
has been understandingperfect progressive
Past
-
understoodsimple
-
had understoodperfect
-
was understandingprogressive
-
were understandingprogressive
-
had been understandingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of understand
First recorded before 900; Middle English understanden, understonden, Old English understondan; cognate with Dutch onderstaan. See under-, stand
Explanation
To understand something is to comprehend or get it. The more we learn, the more we understand. The goal of most education is to help students understand how the world works: history, math, English, music, science, and art are all complicated subjects that you need to practice and think about before you can really understand them. Understanding requires knowledge and thought. Another kind of understanding is like sympathy. For example, you might not approve of stealing, but you could understand why a guy would steal to feed his family.
Vocabulary lists containing understand
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"
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Foundational Reading
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I talk a lot with the European governments, and they understand that there is a new reality,” said Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
“I understand why Waller went there,” said Vincent Ahn, portfolio manage at SLW Investments.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
She said unlike other cancers, because neuroendocrine is not as obvious or as widely known as others, few people understand how she feels.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026
"We have this distinctive feature... of covering pretty much all fields of knowledge that will allow us to better understand the history and society of Cambodia," Bourdonneau said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 10, 2026
She doesn’t understand why I need this day and I’m not going to explain it to her.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
The BBC understands the soldier was based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, Gloucestershire.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026
That’s a concept that Bianco, a law enforcement professional, surely understands.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2026
If anyone understands how to make something last — filmmaker Denis Villeneuve said at Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Art + Film Gala — it is the artist Vija Celmins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2026
The idea that hype is something a talking head understands and the market overlooked is absurd.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
She understands that when push comes to shove, literally or otherwise, that she must rely on other people being good and doing the right thing.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
His siblings say their mother could not have understood what she was signing because she was "desperately unwell".
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
“I understood why I naturally adapted to it, or grew closer to the idea of what being a barber really was for me, especially being fourth-generation.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026
"Suddenly they understood the spirit of Eurovision," he said of those involved, hailing "the music, the extravagance".
From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2026
The analyst says that while TC Energy continues to execute well, it is a story that remains well understood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
He now understood the reason the Afterlife had dropped Gingersnipes in Deadwood so abruptly on the week of All Hallows’ Eve.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
In a 38-word statement that was sparse on details, the company said it signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate drilling opportunities with the Venezuelan government and its state-run oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
The move from “she” to “we” aims to represent an inclusive understanding of beauty, Jolly added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
Predicting the risk of infection requires understanding the broader community of animals that ticks feed on, not simply counting mice.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026
Jim Dickson, MP for Dartford, said women experiencing serious mental health difficulties deserved "care that treats them with dignity, compassion and an understanding of their individual needs".
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
Clare saw himself as a young kit, scared and alone and barely understanding the white fox who’d appeared from the shadows.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
