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.
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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)
-
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.
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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
-
(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
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understandsimple
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understandssimple
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have understoodperfect
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has understoodperfect
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am understandingprogressive
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are understandingprogressive
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is understandingprogressive
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have been understandingperfect progressive
-
has been understandingperfect progressive
Past
-
understoodsimple
-
had understoodperfect
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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:
The findings may also provide a valuable foundation for efforts to understand and conserve animal biodiversity.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
We understand how much Michael meant to so many people, and we are grateful for the love, prayers, memories, and condolences already being shared.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Supreme Court procedures and rulings can be technical and hard to understand, but this case is a doozy.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
He said there should be some kind of formal process to at least make men take responsibility and ownership and to understand their personal risk.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
“There are no right or wrong feelings, Lexie. You’re entitled to them all. You do understand that, don’t you?”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Carney understands the stakes, and he has intentionally and carefully drawn a line.
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
As the trial of Lindsay Clancy over the murder of her three children goes into closing arguments this week, the reactions to the case reveal just how little the general public understands about postpartum psychosis.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
It’s important that the cosigner understands how the loan could affect their own credit and make it more difficult for them to get favorable terms for other loans.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
The BBC understands the pursuit ended prior to the crash, and the police vehicle occupied by PC Blades and PC Clough just happened to be in the area at the time.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Then Mama told me how she can’t wait for me to come home and she’s been so lonely and nobody understands what she’s been going through.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
Postpartum psychosis isn’t widely understood, which is why, at least in part, this trial is so misunderstood.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
“Acting involved pretending to be other people, whose own emotional states —such as she understood them — could preoccupy her for a time,” writes Cusk.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
It is understood the Spaniard is comfortable with that scenario and believes Alvarez would eventually become fully invested and committed to the Arsenal project.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Martin Green, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, told AFP the organisation regrets the decision, but understood and respected the choice.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
He watched Gingersnipes for some indication that she understood.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
The findings, published on Aug. 19, 2026, in Science Advances, underscore the importance of understanding how long Earth microbes can persist in extreme lunar environments.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
People started understanding life in a completely different way—more colorful, more liberal, more free.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Just as important as hunting for a low interest rate is understanding whether the rate is fixed or variable.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
Trent Alexander‑Arnold says he still hopes for "a degree of understanding" from Liverpool fans after revealing he continues to receive abuse 14 months on from leaving Anfield for Real Madrid.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
After it was all over and the monkeys had again disappeared in the treetops, I looked to Rowdy for some kind of understanding.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
