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Showing results for understand.
Definitions

understand

[uhn-der-stand] / ˌʌn dərˈstænd /
VERB
comprehend, grasp
Synonyms
STRONGEST
apprehend catch comprehend fathom figure out follow get grasp know perceive register savvy sense
STRONG
appreciate deduce discern infer interpret master note penetrate realize recognize see
WEAK
be aware be conscious of be with it catch on get the hang of get the idea get the picture get the point have knowledge of ken make out make sense of take in take meaning
Antonyms
STRONGEST
be ignorant lose misinterpret miss misunderstand not get overlook
WEAK
mistake
VERB
think, believe, assume
Synonyms
STRONGEST
assume believe gather hear infer suppose surmise think
STRONG
concede conclude conjecture consider deduce expect fancy guess imagine know learn presume reckon
WEAK
be informed count on suspect take for granted
Antonyms
STRONG
disregard doubt ignore mistake neglect
VERB
sympathetically accept
Synonyms
STRONGEST
accept appreciate empathize sympathize
STRONG
identify with sympathize with
WEAK
empathize with feel for

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.

“To understand American distinctiveness fully,” Mr. Sutton writes, “we must account for how Christianity shaped and was shaped by every major historical development from education to war.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

"For writers, this nuance matters: the language we choose shapes how readers understand AI systems, their capabilities and the humans responsible for them," Mackiewicz said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

“There’s people who don’t understand, but that’s not the majority of Americans. Don’t be shy to be an Arab or to be a Muslim in this country.“

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

Mr. Sutton weaves these forms of 1970s Christianity together by explaining that their various exponents used ancient prophecies to understand the nation’s “Christian destiny.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Clare sniffed around her, trying to understand why she refused to move.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Vocabulary lists containing understand

TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)

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"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"

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Foundational Reading

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