Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
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:

“You start to see more of your neighbors driving EVs, and you understand the benefits of it,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Mercedes split their cars between two different specifications in Singapore in an attempt to understand why a major upgrade introduced at the previous race in Malaysia did not work.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

We’ve spent years teaching machines to understand human behavior.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

To understand the dedication and determination of football players from unbeaten Cleveland High, let’s review the commitment of backup quarterback Julio Avalos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

It brings with it the kind of agony the mind simply can’t understand.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

He understands how to keep viewers vigilant, how to shock them and startle them as soon as they think they know where he’s headed.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

Novack generally shuns them but understands it is a personal preference for those who can afford it.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

Miller-Perkins said she "understands trust has to be earned" and expects to be judged on what her office delivers.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

I think in some ways, this botched execution is emblematic of how everybody understands now what happens in that room, but the jurisprudence and the technologies have occluded that for most of us.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

“Nobody ever understands you, not with all your stuck-up words. Like, you just want to make everyone else feel stupid. You think you’re so smart.”

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea

The findings add to a growing body of research portraying Neanderthals as resourceful humans who understood and exploited the natural materials around them.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

An AI safety expert said he understood why people did it, and that it may seem harmless, but uploading any identifiable information, including photographs, was "not worth the risk".

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

I told her I’d always understood the money as a gift to me, not an investment in the house or an early inheritance for her children.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

Brown, a Republican, ended the two-and-a-half-week June standoff by assuring Commerce Department, Pentagon and White House officials that Anthropic understood their security fears and had upgraded its safeguards.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 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

Antonelli drove the new spec and Russell the old, and by the end of the weekend the team said they had made some progress in understanding the new aerodynamic package.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

Age-related macular degeneration alone affects approximately 2.5 million Canadians, highlighting the potential importance of understanding the processes that keep the retina healthy.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

After researching your book, what have you found about people’s common understanding of Rod Serling and “The Twilight Zone” that might not be entirely accurate?

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026

Putin received the proposals "with understanding", the Kremlin said, without elaborating on what the proposals were or the Russian president's response.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026

And with that thought, with that small understanding, came the desire to learn, to know more not just about wolves but about all things in the woods.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen




Vocabulary lists containing understand


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com