comprehend
Usage
What are other ways to say comprehend?
To comprehend is to know something thoroughly and to perceive its relationships to certain other ideas, facts, etc. To know is to be aware of something as a fact or truth: He knows the basic facts of the subject. I know that he agrees with me. To understand is to be fully aware not only of the meaning of something but also of its implications: I could comprehend all he said, but did not understand that he was joking.
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.
Children were dying, and as the father of two young girls, I couldn’t comprehend why he would turn away from science.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
"It's just struggling to comprehend how on earth this season has panned out in the way it has," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
To fully comprehend the Jacob Misiorowski Experience, just take a look at one of his outings from last week.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
And while Rosenqvist ended the day drenched in milk, the celebratory beverage of choice at Indy, Malukas could hardly comprehend what he had just experienced.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
I didn’t fully comprehend the danger we were in at the moment; I was so tired that I just wanted to sleep.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Vocabulary lists containing comprehend
Vocabulary of the Common Core
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List 4
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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