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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.

Iranians who have left the country, she said, can’t fully understand what people inside the country are living through.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Children and their experiences will be at the core of the work, YEF said, with the view of helping schools to understand where and when pupils feel safe.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Ongoing projects aim to explore how this pathway might be used to treat other conditions and to better understand how the receptor functions throughout the body.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

He’s concerned all the social-media talk about tax strikes will lead to some people getting in a jam because they didn’t understand the rules.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

What I want to say is that these drawings seem too personal for a museum, something I could understand if he didn’t want the world to see.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.