comprehend
Usage
What are other ways to say comprehend?
To comprehend is to know something thoroughly and to perceive its relationships to certain other ideas, facts, etc. 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 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.
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:
Zidan said he still struggled to comprehend what had happened in the village.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
He added he would "never be able to comprehend" why Baroness Lawrence had decided to "turn on" the Daily Mail, which campaigned on the Lawrence family's behalf.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
“The loss of so many young lives is difficult to comprehend, and our hearts go out to the victims’ families, friends, classmates, loved ones, and all those affected by this heartbreaking event.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
Here’s another way to comprehend the incomprehensible scale of a trillion dollars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
“Can you even comprehend what we have here, Florian?”
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
College Football Brain is why we still have Zombie Bowl games layered on top of this 12-team playoff, as if anyone actually cares or comprehends why the quarterfinal needs to masquerade as the Cotton Bowl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025
They communicate verbally and also, often in games, only with a nod or a look that the other instantly comprehends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2024
“I don’t think she comprehends the breadth and depth of the suffering she has caused,” a tearful Ruetten said.
From Seattle Times ● May 21, 2024
The Smith family comprehends this in ways most don't.
From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2022
But also he would have understood the other part, which I don’t think even Mercer comprehends.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Manjusri, with a calm smile, gently raises his hand to counter that the true nonmaterial essence of the Buddha can never be comprehended before transcending the material world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“The Argonauts” revolutionized the way queer family-making is written about, talked about and comprehended.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2025
“I don't think we really comprehended that at the time.”
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2024
Whether he survived Nandor's wrath became less important than whether Guillermo fully understood what he professed to desire most and whether Nandor comprehended how essential Guillermo is to his well-being.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2023
She comprehended the perversity of life, that in the struggle lies the joy.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
And once comprehending, shall he go with the flow?
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2026
Yet as commander in chief, wisely comprehending that no war to save the Union could be waged, much less won, exclusively by Republicans, Lincoln sought out Democrats to help battle secession.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
"They can't remember what things are called, can't finish a sentence, have trouble comprehending a text."
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026
The resulting data will certainly be of value for comprehending and conserving modern-day biodiversity.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2025
What Lee was having trouble comprehending was how his indebtedness to Doc made it necessary that he give credit to Mack.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
Vocabulary lists containing comprehend
Vocabulary of the Common Core
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List 4
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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