comprehend
To fully understand something.
comprehend in a sentence
- Toby read the riddle three times but still could not comprehend what it meant.
- The puppy could not comprehend where the ball had gone; it was hidden behind Dad's back.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to comprehend?
- Aunderstand
- Bmuddle
- Cmistake
- Dmisunderstand
Show the answer
A: understand. The other three mean the opposite of comprehend.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to comprehend?
- Afollow
- Bmisunderstand
- Cgrasp
- Dunderstand
Show the answer
B: misunderstand. The other three mean nearly the same as comprehend.
Words that mean something similar
understand, grasp, follow
Words that mean the opposite
misunderstand, muddle, mistake
More words about thinking & learning
- concoct: To make something by mixing things, or to invent a story or plan.
- conscious: Awake, and aware of what is happening around you.
- contrary: Completely opposite to something else.
- crucial: Extremely important; something everything else depends on.
- cryptic: Having a hidden meaning that is hard to work out.
- decipher: To work out what something difficult or secret means.
- demonstrate: To show clearly how something works, or that it is true.
- determine: To decide something firmly, or to work it out for certain.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test