comprehend

American

[kom-pri-hend] / ˌkɒm prɪˈhɛnd /

verb (used with object)

to understand the nature or meaning of; grasp with the mind; perceive.

He did not comprehend the significance of the ambassador's remark.
to take in or embrace; include; comprise.

The course will comprehend all facets of Japanese culture.

comprehend British

/ ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnd /

verb

to perceive or understand
(tr) to comprise or embrace; include

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say comprehend? To comprehend something is to grasp it with the mind. How is comprehend different from know and understand? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Related Words

See include.

Other Word Forms

comprehender noun
comprehendingly adverb
noncomprehending adjective
noncomprehendingly adverb
precomprehend verb (used with object)
self-comprehending adjective
uncomprehended adjective
uncomprehending adjective
uncomprehendingly adverb
well-comprehended adjective

Etymology

Origin of comprehend

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English comprehenden, from Latin comprehendere, from com- com- + prehendere “to seize” ( prehension )

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.

Curreri, a former police officer, said Bush's "intentional negligence" was "pretty difficult to comprehend".

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

The exciting and the scary part of artificial intelligence is there are things the human brain will not be able to comprehend.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

The point Currie was making was that markets seem not to comprehend the logistical difficulties involved in moving different types of oil around, and the disruption it causes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

Mr. Lewis is alternately magnetized and repulsed by Sellers and goes to exhaustive lengths to comprehend him, eventually resorting to quoting Sellers—a believer in the power of the Ouija board—via a spiritual medium.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

But we are largely at a loss in trying to comprehend the beliefs and rituals of ancient hunter-gatherers.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023