comprehension

noun

com·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-shən How to pronounce comprehension (audio)
-prē-
1
a
: the act or action of grasping with the intellect : understanding
children who have difficulty with comprehension of spoken language
What the artist actually needs is comprehension of his aims and ideals by men he respects …H. L. Mencken
b
: knowledge gained by comprehending
tests that measure the students' comprehension in math
She carried on with full comprehension of the risk involved.
c
: the capacity for understanding fully
mysteries that are beyond our comprehension
The war caused suffering beyond comprehension.
2
a
: the act or process of comprising
the comprehension of all the denominations into one Church
b
: the faculty or capability of including : comprehensiveness
the broad comprehension of the word "animal"
3

Examples of comprehension in a Sentence

The students showed excellent reading comprehension. the president's comprehension of the current situation in the Middle East
Recent Examples on the Web These approaches encourage comprehension and long-term retention. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 Read the full Gemini Daily Horoscope Cancer (June 22 - July 22) Trying to grasp broad concepts for total comprehension? USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2024 And curricula grounded in the science related to reading—including both the evidence for systematic instruction in foundational skills like phonics and for building the kind of knowledge that enables comprehension—have been shown to have positive effects on student achievement. Natalie Wexler, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 The models are tracked on seven key benchmarks that aim to assess a variety of capabilities, such as reading comprehension and mathematical problem-solving. Angela Yang, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2024 The science of reading emphasizes the importance of phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension in developing strong reading skills. Lilly Price, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2024 The Lizzie McGuire reboot was, reportedly, too horny for executive comprehension. Vulture, 17 Jan. 2024 Aphasia is a condition affecting communication abilities, including language expression and comprehension. Shania Russell, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2024 Educators craft course materials for clarity and comprehension to ensure students grasp and master the subject. Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comprehension.' 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 French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin comprehension-, comprehensio, from comprehendere to understand, comprise

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of comprehension was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near comprehension

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

comprehension

noun
com·​pre·​hen·​sion ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen-chən How to pronounce comprehension (audio)
1
: the act of comprehending
2
: knowledge gained by comprehending
3
: the capacity for understanding
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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