comprehend

/ˌˈkɑmprəˌˈhɛnd/

/kɒmprɪˈhɛnd/

Other forms: comprehended; comprehending; comprehends

To comprehend something is to understand it, like when you have to read a difficult passage more than once in order to comprehend it.

When you comprehend something, you grasp its meaning. Comprehend is a verb that originates from the Latin word comprehendere, which means “catch or seize.” When an idea is clear to you and you understand it completely, you comprehend it, like doing extra problems to make sure you comprehend a difficult algebra rule, or finding it hard to comprehend why someone would paint his house neon yellow.

Definitions of comprehend

1. verb

   get the meaning of something
   “Do you comprehend the meaning of this letter?”

   synonyms: apprehend, compass, dig, get the picture, grasp, grok, savvy

   types:

   figure

   understand

   catch on, cotton on, get it, get onto, get wise, latch on, tumble, twig

   understand, usually after some initial difficulty

   intuit

   know or grasp by intuition or feeling

   digest, process

   arrange and integrate in the mind

   type of:

   understand

   know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
2. verb

   become aware of through the senses
   synonyms: perceive

   types:

   feel, sense

   perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles

   apperceive

   perceive in terms of a past experience

   pick up, receive

   register (perceptual input)

   divine

   perceive intuitively or through some inexplicable perceptive powers

   hallucinate

   perceive what is not there; have illusions

   misperceive

   perceive incorrectly

   catch, pick up

   perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily

   dream

   experience while sleeping

   ache, hurt, suffer

   feel physical pain

   smell

   inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense

   touch

   perceive via the tactile sense

   see

   perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

   sight, spy

   catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes

   hear

   perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

   listen

   hear with intention

   taste

   perceive by the sense of taste

   find

   perceive oneself to be in a certain condition or place

   see through

   perceive the true nature of

   hear

   receive a communication from someone

   chiromance

   divine by reading someone's palms

   catch, get

   suffer from the receipt of

   glimpse

   catch a glimpse of or see briefly

   twinge

   feel a sudden sharp, local pain

   prick, sting, twinge

   cause a stinging pain

   sniff, whiff

   perceive by inhaling through the nose

   nose, scent, wind

   catch the scent of; get wind of

   snuff, snuffle

   sniff or smell inquiringly

   get a noseful, get a whiff

   smell strongly and intensely

   see

   see and understand, have a good eye

   catch a glimpse, catch sight, get a look

   see something for a brief time

   behold, lay eyes on

   see with attention

   see double

   see things as if they were there twice

   descry, espy, spot, spy

   catch sight of

   detect, discover, find, notice, observe

   discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

   hear out

   listen to every detail and give a full hearing to

   listen in

   listen quietly, without contributing to the conversation

   advert, attend, give ear, hang, pay heed

   give heed (to)

   catch, overhear, take in

   hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

   catch, get

   perceive by hearing

   hark, harken, hearken

   listen; used mostly in the imperative

   eavesdrop, listen in

   listen without the speaker's knowledge

   savor, savour

   taste appreciatively

   kill

   be the source of great pain for
3. verb

   include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
   synonyms: cover, embrace, encompass

   address, cover, deal, handle, plow, treat

   act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

   type of:

   include

   have as a part; be made up out of