apprehension

noun

ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən How to pronounce apprehension (audio)
1
: suspicion or fear especially of future evil : foreboding
an atmosphere of nervous apprehension
2
: seizure by legal process : arrest
apprehension of a criminal
3
a
: the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something
a person of dull apprehension
b
: the result of apprehending something mentally : conception
according to popular apprehension

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Latin Helps Build Apprehension

The Latin verb prehendere really grabs our attention. It means "to grasp" or "to seize," and it is an ancestor of various English words. It teamed up with the prefix ad- (which takes the form ap- before p and means "to," "toward," or "near") to form apprehendere, the Latin predecessor of our words apprehension, apprehend, and apprehensive. When prehendere joined the prefix com- ("with," "together," "jointly"), Latin got comprehendere, and English eventually got comprehend, comprehension, and comprehensive. Prehendere also gave us the words comprise, prehensile ("adapted for seizing or grasping"), prison, reprehend, and reprise, among others.

Examples of apprehension in a Sentence

The thought of moving to a new city fills me with apprehension. an increased number of apprehensions
Recent Examples on the Web In the past two fiscal years, Border Patrol has recorded over 2 million apprehensions of migrants who entered the country illegally, the highest tallies in the agency's history. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 President Biden plans to visit the southern border in Brownsville, Texas, this week, though apprehensions in the sector are some of the lowest across the border, according to recent data. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 27 Feb. 2024 Additionally, there’s apprehension regarding bike lanes‌ encroaching on parking spaces. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 On the streets of Kyiv, the change fueled some apprehension. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2024 Advancements in artificial intelligence, most notably in generative image technology and large language models, have sparked both excitement and a wave of apprehension across numerous industries. Daria Gonzalez, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 For instance, a PolitiFact analysis in 2022 of a claim from U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman found his representation of a border apprehensions statistic to be misleading. Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2024 While these policies had temporary effects on migrant flows, in both cases the number of apprehensions at the border eventually started rising again. David Noriega, NBC News, 2 Feb. 2024 The apprehensions occurred in Shelby Park, a public park in Eagle Pass that sits on the bank of the Rio Grande River and has come under state control as part of Abbott’s beefed-up border measures, setting up a wider dispute with the federal government over access to the area. Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'apprehension.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin apprehension-, apprehensio, from Latin apprehendere — see apprehend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of apprehension was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near apprehension

Cite this Entry

“Apprehension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprehension. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

apprehension

noun
ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌap-ri-ˈhen-chən How to pronounce apprehension (audio)
1
2
: an understanding of something
3
: fear of or uncertainty about what may be coming

Legal Definition

apprehension

noun
ap·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌa-pri-ˈhen-chən How to pronounce apprehension (audio)
: arrest

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