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View definitions for understand

understand

verb as in sympathetically accept

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Example Sentences

This research provides an unprecedented view into how European populations adapted to environmental challenges over millennia, helping us understand how certain traits have persisted, disappeared, or been altered over time.

To understand better how play functions in chimpanzee society, they studied the play of 57 adult chimpanzees.

"He understands rugby and I believe Wales have got the best coach in the world to get us out of this."

From BBC

“Critics fail to understand that when you diverge from any benchmark, your investment performance will not correlate precisely with that benchmark,” Achtermann said.

From Salon

But researchers were surprised at the way two Asian elephants recently showed off their understanding of an unusual tool – a hose.

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When To Use

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. 

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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