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.
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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.
-
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.
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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
-
(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
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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:
Scientists are still trying to understand how the brain manages this energy budget as it moves through different internal states.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
On “To Catch a Predator,” there is no differentiation between the levels of danger the men pose; no mercy for those who understand they’re sick and desperately plead for rehabilitation.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
“The people who understand and respect the language of vertical storytelling while continuing to push it forward creatively are going to help define where it goes next.”
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2026
“So I understand their frustrations ... These fans, they pay a lot of money to come watch us play, so we need to make sure we play better in the future.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
“I have to get home. Surely you can understand that?”
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
But when people care deeply about them, those seemingly mundane things can take on an emotional significance the audience understands.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse told reporters he understands the emotions behind the boos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
While BBC Sport understands final details are still being hammered out between Netflix, Saudi Arabian organisers Sela and both fighters' camps, Cardiff has firmly emerged as the frontrunner, with an official announcement expected this week.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
He understands why investors would be skeptical, as AT&T’s average revenue per user hasn’t even kept up with inflation.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
I’ve told her about Mr. Terupt many times, so I know she understands how special he is.
From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea
As much as I loved being home with my kids and understood the privilege it was, I was bored.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
“Farmers came together. They understood what was needed and they got it done.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
Everyone has understood for some time that this would be a favorable election cycle for Democrats.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2026
It is understood about 200 officers are coming from Scotland.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Her expression was carefully bland, and I understood now that the piano was a payoff.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
That work had helped them develop a broader framework for understanding how natural gas forms.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
Finance focuses on practical money skills, while economics develops understanding of broader financial systems.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 26, 2026
Xi said they had common understanding on issues without elaborating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
"Like all the places we care for, our understanding of what happened on Orford Ness is constantly evolving," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
The fox and the rat stared at each other, Clare trying to understand what was going on, Nine trying to gauge how much Clare was understanding.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
