apprehension

American  

[ap-ri-hen-shuhn] / ˌæp rɪˈhɛn ʃən /

noun

1. anticipation of adversity or misfortune; suspicion or fear of future trouble or evil.

   Synonyms:

   suspicion, uneasiness, worry, alarm

   Antonyms:

   tranquility, composure

2. the faculty or act of apprehending or understanding; perception on a direct and immediate level.

3. acceptance of or receptivity to information without passing judgment on its validity, often without complete comprehension.

4. a view, opinion, or idea on any subject.

5. the act of arresting; seizure.

   Police apprehension of the burglar was aided by two alert teenagers.

   Synonyms:

   capture

   Antonyms:

   release

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apprehension British  

/ ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃən /

noun

1. fear or anxiety over what may happen

2. the act of capturing or arresting

3. the faculty of comprehending; understanding

4. a notion or conception

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Related Words

Apprehension, anxiety, misgiving imply an unsettled and uneasy state of mind. Apprehension is an active state of fear, usually of some danger or misfortune: apprehension before opening a telegram. Anxiety is a somewhat prolonged state of apprehensive worry: anxiety because of a reduced income. Misgiving implies a dubious uncertainty or suspicion, as well as uneasiness: to have misgivings about the investment.

Other Word Forms

• nonapprehension
  noun
• overapprehension
  noun
• preapprehension
  noun
• reapprehension
  noun

Etymology

Origin of apprehension

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin apprehēnsiōn-, stem of apprehēnsiō, from apprehēns(us) “grasped” (past participle of apprehendere “to grasp”; see apprehend) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Apprehension is fear or anxiety about something, like the apprehension you feel about an upcoming test. Apprehension is also the capture of a criminal — that is, when the criminal is apprehended. Finally, apprehension can mean one's understanding of an idea. Get it? Given the crook's record of evading arrest, the chief had real apprehensions about being able to catch him. Eventually though, she activated the whole police force in an effort to ensure the crook's apprehension. And it paid off! They caught him red-handed. But it wasn't until he saw the video of the crime in progress that the guy apprehended just how much trouble he was in. It was that apprehension that led him to make a deal with the district attorney.

Example Sentences

Not aggression, but apprehension about what what was to come.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

I remember having a little bit of apprehension because I’ve had a twisty-turny life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

This extra confidence comes despite the war in Iran causing volatility in the oil and equities markets, and even as investing pros on Wall Street feel apprehension about risks of potential stagflation and interest-rate hikes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

Investor apprehension about AI hasn’t compelled the biggest tech companies to scale back their bets on the technology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

His eyes should be wild with apprehension, given where we are, but they are still and dark.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Related Words

• alarm
• disquiet
• doubt
• dread
• foreboding
• misgiving
• mistrust
• suspicion
• trepidation
• uneasiness
• worry