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.
Thank whatever god responsible that never happened, because the devastation of dropping just one nuke would be so horrendous that we can barely comprehend it.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
"It is incredibly difficult to comprehend that a life with so much promise has been cut so short, and our whole community is deeply saddened by this loss."
From BBC • May 4, 2026
I was 10 at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, too young to comprehend the political climate but keenly aware of the fear that gripped the nation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
The exciting and the scary part of artificial intelligence is there are things the human brain will not be able to comprehend.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Cassiopeia tried to show her some basic facts of multiplication, but Bertha proved even less adept at math than Nutsawoo, who could at least comprehend that three acorns made a more filling snack than two.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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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