understanding

American  

[uhn-der-stan-ding] / ˌʌn dərˈstæn dɪŋ /

noun

1. mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation.

   My understanding of the word does not agree with yours.

2. intellectual faculties; intelligence; mind.

   a quick understanding.

3. superior power of discernment; enlightened intelligence.

   With her keen understanding she should have become a leader.

4. knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something.

   an understanding of accounting practice.

5. a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people.

   To him, understanding and goodwill were the supreme virtues.

6. a mutual agreement, especially of a private, unannounced, or tacit kind.

   They had an understanding about who would do the dishes.

7. an agreement regulating joint activity or settling differences, often informal or preliminary in character.

   After hours of negotiation, no understanding on a new contract was reached.

8. Philosophy.

   1. the power of abstract thought; logical power.

   2. Kantianism. the mental faculty resolving the sensory manifold into the transcendental unity of apperception.

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adjective

1. characterized by understanding; prompted by, based on, or demonstrating comprehension, intelligence, discernment, empathy, or the like.

   an understanding attitude.

understanding British  

/ ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ /

noun

1. the ability to learn, judge, make decisions, etc; intelligence or sense

2. personal opinion or interpretation of a subject

   my understanding of your predicament

3. a mutual agreement or compact, esp an informal or private one

4. an unofficial engagement to be married

5. archaic philosophy the mind, esp the faculty of reason

6. with the condition that; providing

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adjective

1. sympathetic, tolerant, or wise towards people

2. possessing judgment and intelligence

Other Word Forms

• nonunderstanding adjective
• nonunderstandingly adverb
• self-understanding noun
• understandingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of understanding

First recorded before 1050; understand + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

To be understanding is to be sympathetic to someone’s woes. Understanding a concept means you get it. Your understanding might be that your mother will always drive you to school if you miss the bus. The sum of your knowledge of a certain topic, is your understanding of it. This can change, or deepen as you learn more. But being an understanding person doesn't take a lot of studying — it takes opening your heart to appreciate what someone else feels or experiences. If someone says to you, "I thought we had an understanding," you must have done something unexpected. Here, understanding means "an agreement."

Example Sentences

"Governments and health services must work with communities to rebuild trust and promote a better understanding of, and confidence in, vaccines," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

For Ms. Romvari, this is an autobiographical, almost nakedly therapeutic drama about the loss of her brother, unpompously ambitious in its hopscotching of time as it searches for scraps of understanding.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

"It all goes back to understanding how these cells arise in the first place."

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

Critically huzzahed, festooned with Emmys, the 2023 first season of “Beef” told a story of road rage escalating to warfare and finally winding down to a sort of understanding.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

“Constance, can’t you be more understanding? I’ve business to attend to. Men’s business. And the club’s accommodations are far more suitable for that sort of thing than this ridiculous frou-frou of a house, what?”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• conclusion
• idea
• impression
• interpretation
• judgment
• knowledge
• meaning
• opinion
• perception
• sense
• sympathy
• view