Understand — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˌən-dər-ˈstand/ un·der·stand

Meaning & Definition of Understand

Understand (verb)

  1. to grasp the meaning of
  2. to grasp the reasonableness of
  3. to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of

Understand (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to have a practical understanding of

    "I think I understand how an engine works now"

    similar: comprehend, grasp, know
    related: appreciate, apprehend, cognize, fathom, follow, ken (chiefly Scottish), perceive, savvy, have, possess, catch on (to), pick up
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misunderstand

  2. to have a clear idea of

    "after a few weeks in Russia I began to understand the language a little bit"

    similar: appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, comprehend, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, pick up on
    related: absorb, digest, take in, realize, fathom, penetrate, pierce
    opposite: miss
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

  3. to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information

    "as I understand it, this is the best plan that we have"

    similar: conclude, decide, deduce, derive, extrapolate, gather, infer, judge, make out, reason, draw a conclusion
    related: assume, suppose, conjecture, guess, speculate, surmise, construe, interpret, read, contemplate, philosophize, rationalize, think, ascertain, dope (out), find out

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Understand

The most common words with a similar meaning to Understand:

comprehend, grasp, know, appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grok, intuit, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, conclude, decide, deduce, derive, extrapolate, gather, infer, judge, reason

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Understand

Words with the opposite meaning of Understand:

miss

Related Words for Understand

fathom, follow, ken, have, possess, pick up, absorb, digest, take in, realize, penetrate, pierce, assume, suppose, conjecture, guess, speculate, surmise, construe, interpret, read, contemplate, philosophize, rationalize, think, ascertain, dope (out), find out

Near Antonyms of Understand

misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misunderstand, misconstrue, misread, mistake

Word Forms of Understand

Inflections: understood, understanding

Derived words: understandability (noun), understandable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Understand

Middle English, from Old English understandan, from under + standan to stand

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Understand

Words & Phrases Containing Understand

give (someone) to understand, fail to see/understand

Frequently Asked Questions about Understand

What does "Understand" mean?

"Understand" means to grasp the meaning of. As a verb, it is defined as: to grasp the meaning of. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Understand"?

Other words for "Understand" include comprehend, grasp, know, appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold and catch. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Understand" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Understand"?

There are 70 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Understand". Common alternatives include comprehend, grasp, know, appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to) and cognize.

What is the opposite of "Understand"?

Antonyms of "Understand" include miss. Near antonyms include misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret and misknow.

How do you use "Understand" in a sentence?

Examples of "Understand" in a sentence: "I think I understand how an engine works now"; "after a few weeks in Russia I began to understand the language a little bit"; "as I understand it, this is the best plan that we have".

Is "Understand" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Understand" is a verb.

Is "Understand" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Understand" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Understand"?

"Understand" is pronounced /ˌən-dər-ˈstand/ and divided into syllables as un·der·stand.