understand
Americanverb (used with object)
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to perceive the meaning of; grasp the idea of; comprehend.
to understand Spanish; I didn't understand your question.
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to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of.
to understand a trade.
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to assign a meaning to; interpret.
He understood her suggestion as a complaint.
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to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of.
He does not understand responsibility.
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to regard as firmly communicated; take as agreed or settled.
I understand that you will repay this loan in 30 days.
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to learn or hear.
I understand that you are going out of town.
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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)
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to perceive what is meant; grasp the information conveyed.
She told them about it in simple words, hoping they would understand.
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to accept tolerantly or sympathetically.
If you can't do it, I'll understand.
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to have knowledge or background, as on a particular subject.
He understands about boats.
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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
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(may take a clause as object) to know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
I understand you
I understand what you mean
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(may take a clause as object) to realize or grasp (something)
he understands your position
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(tr; may take a clause as object) to assume, infer, or believe
I understand you are thinking of marrying
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(tr) to know how to translate or read
can you understand Spanish?
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(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
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(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
- preunderstand verb
- understandable adjective
- understandably adverb
Etymology
Origin of understand
First recorded before 900; Middle English understanden, understonden, Old English understondan; cognate with Dutch onderstaan. See under-, stand
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.
A spokesperson for Contra Costa Health Plan said Medi-Cal health plans are not required by the state to track vision benefits and that it would take time to understand the data.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
Once you understand the fears and motivations of undocumented immigrants, you realize that most of what’s said about them makes no sense.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
They note that the main culprit was a “catastrophically bad control-room design” where workers “were unable to understand what was going wrong.”
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026
To better understand the star's history, the team combined their observations with data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission.
From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026
I don’t completely understand what he’s telling me, but it feels like the truth.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
