apprehension

apprehension
noun
ap·;pre·;hen·;sion ;a-pri-;hen(t)-sh;n
Synonyms of apprehension
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


Did you know?
Latin Helps Build Apprehension

There’s quite a bit to comprehend about apprehension, so let’s take a closer look at its history. The Latin ancestor of apprehension (and of comprehend, prehensile, and even prison, among others) is the verb prehendere, meaning “to grasp” or “to seize.” When it was first used in the 14th century, apprehension could refer to the act of learning, a sense that is now obsolete, or the ability or power to understand things—learning and understanding both being ways to “grasp” knowledge or information. It wasn’t until the late 16th century that apprehension was used, as it still is today, for the physical seizure of something or someone (as an arrest). The most commonly used sense of apprehension today refers to a feeling that something bad is about to happen, when you seize up, perhaps, with anxiety or dread, having grasped all the unpleasant possibilities.

Synonyms
alarm
alarum
apprehensiveness
dread
foreboding
misgiving
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This announcement, made a month ago, quickly stirred apprehension among classic car enthusiasts.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
And so, the colonial government continued to permit the Junkanoo processions despite its apprehension.
—Sasha C. Wells / Made By History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
But now, some Republicans are showing apprehension to backing him in January.
—Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 24 Dec. 2024
Essentially, the Coast Guard – not the Navy – has law enforcement authority for drug interdiction at sea, like apprehensions of suspects or vessels, says Comdr.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Dec. 2024

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


apprehensible

apprehension

apprehensive