# Difference Between "Comprehend" and "Apprehend" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222 "2019-06-28T15:34:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/1 "2019-06-28T15:34:05Z")
[As the second and third definitions at Merriam-webster.com read](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehend), “apprehend” is essentially synonymous with “comprehend” as the latter word is normally used. What is the difference in connotation in your understanding? I’ve always assumed that “apprehend” implied a deeper knowledge than “comprehend”, but perhaps I am wrong. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/2 "2019-06-28T15:48:22Z")
To my mind, ‘apprehend’ means being able to parse the elements of what’s being said and get a superficial understanding of it. ‘Comprehend’ means (a) apprehending it fully, (b) catching any implied meanings, and © correctly relating it to other ideas/facts I know. Or understanding enough to ask the questions I need to fill in the gaps in my understanding. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/3 "2019-06-28T16:00:23Z")
[apprehend](https://www.etymonline.com/word/apprehend): _ad_ “to” + _prehendere_ “to catch hold of, seize” [comprehend](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=comprehend): _com_ “with, together” + _prehendere_ “to catch hold of, seize” > [@](#): > > We “apprehend” many truths which we do not “comprehend” [Richard Trench, “On the Study of Words,” 1856] ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/4 "2019-06-28T16:01:32Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > I’ve always assumed that “apprehend” implied a deeper knowledge than “comprehend”, but perhaps I am wrong. When you look at all the definitions of the two words, I think it’s more the other way around. My understanding (apprehension? comprehension?): You might **apprehend** a single point (“Now I get it!”) but **comprehend** an issue or subject it all its complexity. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/5 "2019-06-28T16:08:01Z")
“Apprehend”, in this sense, suggests to me a transition between not getting something and getting it. But you could have comprehended it all along. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/6 "2019-06-28T16:14:23Z")
About 99% of the times I’ve heard the word “apprehend” it has referred to someone taken into police custody. Although I do often hear the antonym, “misapprehend”. And _misapprehension_ implies to me a sense of worry or dread, rather than a synonym for _misunderstanding_. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/7 "2019-06-28T16:37:59Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > About 99% of the times I’ve heard the word “apprehend” it has referred to someone taken into police custody. This. The use of the word as some synonym of “understand” has not been noted by me at all. Either this is a regional usage, and older usage, an uncommon usage, or I am just plain not paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/8 "2019-06-28T17:48:45Z")
Echoing **Hermitian** , possibly compounded by my 20 years in law enforcement. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/9 "2019-06-28T17:51:09Z")
Like others, I’ve only seen apprehend in the context of capturing suspects/criminals. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/10 "2019-06-28T18:51:54Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > When you look at all the definitions of the two words, I think it’s more the other way around. > > My understanding (apprehension? comprehension?): You might **apprehend** a single point (“Now I get it!”) but **comprehend** an issue or subject it all its complexity. That seems to be the consensus. Thanks, mate. I don’t hear the word used this way in common conversation or journalism; the usual meaning of “apprehend,” as noted, is the one used in law enforcement. I’ve seen “apprehend” in an epistemological sense in academic writing, though. It took me aback the first couple of times. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2019, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/11 "2019-06-29T12:25:53Z")
Another vote for “only in terms of grabbing someone.” This is why I love the Dope. Learning new stuff. I am always amazed how many new words, or new uses for words, I keep picking up despite decades of doing crossword puzzles and such. Now I’m going to have to work out how to use these other meanings in conversation. Just to be a … nice person. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/12 "2019-06-29T13:22:58Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Like others, I’ve only seen apprehend in the context of capturing suspects/criminals. Me too - although oddly I’ve seen and even used “misapprehension” to refer to a mistaken belief. ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2019, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-comprehend-and-apprehend/836222/13 "2019-06-29T13:24:51Z")
They’re basically the same. Apprehend usually only gets used when you’re slagging someone, ie. “your apprehension is incorrect, asshole.” or “You are under the misapprehension that I give a shit.”