MEANING
1. To grasp the meaning, nature, or implications of something.
2. To include or encompass within a whole.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- comprehend an implication
- fully comprehend
On the page
He comprehended the implication only after the others had left.
She could repeat the explanation without comprehending it.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- comprehend
- Past tense
- comprehended
- Past participle
- comprehended
- Present participle
- comprehending
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- comprehend
- Present continuous
- am/is/are comprehending
- Present perfect
- have/has comprehended
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been comprehending
- Past
- comprehended
- Past continuous
- was/were comprehending
- Past perfect
- had comprehended
- Past perfect continuous
- had been comprehending
- Future
- will comprehend
- Future continuous
- will be comprehending
- Future perfect
- will have comprehended
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been comprehending
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: comprehend; comprehends; comprehended; comprehended; comprehending Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: comprehends.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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