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Definitions

understand

[uhn-der-stand] / ˌʌn dərˈstænd /




Usage

What are other ways to say understand? 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. 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 comprehend is to know something thoroughly and to perceive its relationships to certain other ideas, facts, etc. 

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.

See Examples For:

The general public doesn’t have “a perfect understanding of the link between deficits and the economy,” but “at some level people do understand the connection,” Goldwein added.

From MarketWatch Sep. 20, 2026

One final bit of geekery that can help us understand whether bond yields are up for good reasons or bad is what happens to stocks when yields rise.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 20, 2026

That difference has made Spirostomum especially interesting to researchers who want to understand the machinery that makes its extreme speed possible.

From Science Daily Sep. 19, 2026

He’s betting that as more people understand what’s at stake, they will keep showing up — even if they are planting trees for a future he’ll never see.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 19, 2026

The soldier glowers, mutters something in Japanese that Father Julien doesn’t understand, then takes the diary back and places it on a pile of confiscated materials.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Doug Jamieson, of The Jam Report, external, awarded four stars and said Cregger "understands adaptation as translation rather than imitation".

From BBC Sep. 18, 2026

The company hopes the community understands how hard it has tried to limit the damage from this disaster, Lehmkuhl said.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 17, 2026

He cares tremendously about humanity and understands that an insolvent U.S. can’t solve our problems.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 16, 2026

As a mother herself, she understands the value of relief.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 14, 2026

No one understands her tough little heart, her courage.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Mawarire understood this because he had walked the walk.

From Slate Sep. 20, 2026

The defection needed the group's approval and some Plaid MSs wanted assurances that Cooper-Lesadd fully understood what it meant to be a Plaid Cymru member.

From BBC Sep. 20, 2026

I understood that it was not culturally acceptable in Russia to confront an older person of authority, so I steeled myself.

From Salon Sep. 19, 2026

But the Arizonan understood that the fight goes on, and his ideas are eternally relevant.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 18, 2026

It sounded like "Tattoo," but his mom understood, and she clapped her hands and called, "Myron! Anastasia! Come quickly!"

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry

A better understanding of BFAs could eventually contribute to methods for managing cat urine odor.

From Science Daily Sep. 20, 2026

“To the degree that Republican candidates are distancing themselves, they’re understanding that they’re actually appealing to newer electorates,” Peterson said.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 20, 2026

We're in a very privileged position, and it's understanding that privilege and what goes along with it.

From BBC Sep. 20, 2026

“The hard part of a long-distance relationship is there is a component of fantasy that could creep in that clouds understanding of the relationship or what is going on,” Bobby says.

From MarketWatch Sep. 19, 2026

Once upon a time, when he’d been a good student at school, he’d been an expert at grammar, understanding when to use that or which or who or whom.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman




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