- past tense form of understand.
- past participle of understand.
understood
Americanverb
adjective
-
agreed upon; known in advance; assented to.
It is the understood policy of this establishment to limit credit.
-
implied but not stated; left unexpressed.
The understood meaning of a danger sign is “Do not approach.”
verb
adjective
-
implied or inferred
-
taken for granted; assumed
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of understood
First recorded in 1600–10, for the adjective
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.
My mother, an excellent cook, understood repetition better.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
It is understood that Martinelli, who has up to two years left on his contract, is happy at Arsenal and will only consider leaving for an opportunity that suits him.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
They appear to have understood that elephant bone offered advantages over more widely available animal bones.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
New York's Madison Square Garden in November is understood to be among the leading options as Saudi organisers look to maximise the event's appeal in America.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Duane’s eyes suddenly widened because he finally understood what “conducting experiments for the advancement of knowledge toward the benefit of all” truly meant, and he was grateful.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
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.
