understand
verb (used with object)
to perceive the meaning of; grasp the idea of; comprehend.
was understanding
-
past progressiveof understand.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Tilson Thomas said that the key to understanding him was understanding his extraordinary ancestry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
Throughout March, the story for consumers and investors was understanding the implications of the war with Iran.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
In making the documentary, Sam said those who he spoke to for research told him they felt "no one was understanding what was going on, especially their parents".
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
Next was understanding how to use the heavy thing: how to grasp it, how to cut with it, how to use it as a bench scraper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 23, 2025
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
