Comprehend
verb
To understand something fully and clearly.
I can't comprehend why she wants to leave her job.
Often appears as...
- can't comprehend
- fail to comprehend
verb
To include or cover something.
The course comprehends all aspects of baking.
Often appears as...
- comprehend aspects
- comprehend elements
Usage tips
Approving
Academic
verb
To include someone as a part of a group or category.
The law comprehends all citizens, regardless of their origin.
Often appears as...
- comprehend citizens
- comprehend individuals
Usage tips
Formal
verb
To understand something fully and clearly.
I can't comprehend why she wants to leave her job.
Often appears as...
- can't comprehend
- fail to comprehend
verb
To include or cover something.
The course comprehends all aspects of baking.
Often appears as...
- comprehend aspects
- comprehend elements
Usage tips
Approving
Academic
verb
To include someone as a part of a group or category.
The law comprehends all citizens, regardless of their origin.
Often appears as...
- comprehend citizens
- comprehend individuals
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotive Confusion
Note that 'comprehend' conveys a rational understanding, not an emotional one.
He understood her words, but he couldn't comprehend her pain.
Pro Tip 2/3Full Clarity
'Comprehend' implies you are fully clear about the topic, with no confusion.
After the lecture, I could comprehend the complex theory.
Pro Tip 3/3Sudden Realization
'Comprehend' is sometimes used when someone suddenly understands an idea.
She read the clue again and finally comprehended the puzzle.
Compare with
appreciatorapprehendassimilatediscernfathomgraspperceiveunderstand
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Video examples
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man...
Pico claimed that God desired a being capable of comprehending the beautiful and complicated universe he had created. This led to the creation of mankind, which he placed at the center of the universe with the ability to take whatever form he pleases. Mankind, according to Pico, could crawl down the chain and behave like an animal or crawl up the chain and behave like a god,
Video examples
Success, failure and the...
that I finally began to comprehend the strange and unlikely psychological connection in our lives between the way we experience great failure and the way we experience great success. So think of it like For most of your life, you live out your existence here in the middle of the chain of human experience
Video examples
Do Komodo Dragons Eat...
I expected to see that one, really, I'd almost say no. Very rarely do people get attacked by Komodo dragons. Some people living on the villages near the dragons, particularly on Komodo, it is inhabited by people just living their lives, quite incredible to imagine, we couldn't quite comprehend that
Video examples
Exploring other...
closer objects are brighter, and that's how they see depth. So a triangle looks different from a square, looks different a circle, and so on. Their brains cannot comprehend the third dimension. In fact, they vehemently deny its existence because it's simply not part of their world or experience.
Video examples
Why do honeybees love...
But another reason is that honeybees are, in fact, excellent mathematicians. Scientists claim the tiny insects can calculate angles, and can even comprehend the roundness of the Earth. But there's particular mathematical bee genius behind the most important aspect of honeybee the hive.
Video examples
Population pyramids:...
requires knowing not just the total size of the population but its internal characteristics, such as age and gender distribution. So, how can we keep track of all that data in a way that makes it easy to comprehend? Complex data is more easily interpreted through visualization,
Video examples
Aphasia: The disorder...
Damage to Wernicke's area impairs the brain's ability to comprehend language. Aphasia is caused by injury to one or both of these specialized language areas. Fortunately, there are other areas of the brain which support these language centers and can assist with communication.
Video examples
Avoiding desertification...
trained in reductionist specialist fields to comprehend that that's where the difficulties has no one threat of the criticism seems to be that it comes from people who don't like the idea of a world that eats a lot of meat and you know your your holistic management
Video examples
How small are we in the...
Why would we expect it to be the same across such huge distances? On the scale of a galaxy, let alone the universe, we're smaller than we can readily comprehend, but we do have the capacity to wonder, to question, to explore, to investigate, and to imagine.
Video examples
The Hindu Interpretation...
actually this whole creation myth is very difficult to comprehend because we say the gods like Brahma has created the universe but then they ask a question who created Brahma right and then there always a question them creation happened
Video examples
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man...
Pico claimed that God desired a being capable of comprehending the beautiful and complicated universe he had created. This led to the creation of mankind, which he placed at the center of the universe with the ability to take whatever form he pleases. Mankind, according to Pico, could crawl down the chain and behave like an animal or crawl up the chain and behave like a god,
Video examples
Success, failure and the...
that I finally began to comprehend the strange and unlikely psychological connection in our lives between the way we experience great failure and the way we experience great success. So think of it like For most of your life, you live out your existence here in the middle of the chain of human experience
Video examples
Do Komodo Dragons Eat...
I expected to see that one, really, I'd almost say no. Very rarely do people get attacked by Komodo dragons. Some people living on the villages near the dragons, particularly on Komodo, it is inhabited by people just living their lives, quite incredible to imagine, we couldn't quite comprehend that
Video examples
Exploring other...
closer objects are brighter, and that's how they see depth. So a triangle looks different from a square, looks different a circle, and so on. Their brains cannot comprehend the third dimension. In fact, they vehemently deny its existence because it's simply not part of their world or experience.
Video examples
Why do honeybees love...
But another reason is that honeybees are, in fact, excellent mathematicians. Scientists claim the tiny insects can calculate angles, and can even comprehend the roundness of the Earth. But there's particular mathematical bee genius behind the most important aspect of honeybee the hive.
Video examples
Population pyramids:...
requires knowing not just the total size of the population but its internal characteristics, such as age and gender distribution. So, how can we keep track of all that data in a way that makes it easy to comprehend? Complex data is more easily interpreted through visualization,
Video examples
Aphasia: The disorder...
Damage to Wernicke's area impairs the brain's ability to comprehend language. Aphasia is caused by injury to one or both of these specialized language areas. Fortunately, there are other areas of the brain which support these language centers and can assist with communication.
Video examples
Avoiding desertification...
trained in reductionist specialist fields to comprehend that that's where the difficulties has no one threat of the criticism seems to be that it comes from people who don't like the idea of a world that eats a lot of meat and you know your your holistic management
Video examples
How small are we in the...
Why would we expect it to be the same across such huge distances? On the scale of a galaxy, let alone the universe, we're smaller than we can readily comprehend, but we do have the capacity to wonder, to question, to explore, to investigate, and to imagine.
Video examples
The Hindu Interpretation...
actually this whole creation myth is very difficult to comprehend because we say the gods like Brahma has created the universe but then they ask a question who created Brahma right and then there always a question them creation happened
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Rachel Tucker
Irish Musician
It had to be a book that held my attention and kept me wanting to read it; when my husband finished 'The Road', I started it straight away and didn't put it down until I finished - it was such an achievement and relief to know that I could read, comprehend and, most importantly, enjoy a book!
Quote examples
Galileo Galilei
Italian Scientist
Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the letters in which it is composed.
Quote examples
Hypatia
Greek Philosopher
Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel the more truth we can comprehend. To understand the things that are at our door is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond.
Quote examples
Richard Dawkins
English Scientist
Darwin gives courage to the rest of science that we shall end up understanding literally everything, springing from almost nothing - a thought extremely hard to comprehend and believe.
Quote examples
Richard Russo
American Novelist
The deepest failures any fiction writer is likely to have are failures of not quite comprehending the truth of the story that he or she is telling.
Quote examples
Harry Emerson Fosdick
American Clergyman
I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.
Quote examples
Oliver Ellsworth
American Lawyer
Liberty is a word which, according as it is used, comprehends the most good and the most evil of any in the world.
Quote examples
Stanley Crouch
American Critic
Our democratic richness arrives when we're able to comprehend our collective humanity accurately.
Quote examples
Ansel Adams
American Photographer
Myths and creeds are heroic struggles to comprehend the truth in the world.
Quote examples
Edward Young
English Poet
Wise it is to comprehend the whole.
Quote examples
Rachel Tucker
Irish Musician
It had to be a book that held my attention and kept me wanting to read it; when my husband finished 'The Road', I started it straight away and didn't put it down until I finished - it was such an achievement and relief to know that I could read, comprehend and, most importantly, enjoy a book!
Quote examples
Galileo Galilei
Italian Scientist
Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the letters in which it is composed.
Quote examples
Hypatia
Greek Philosopher
Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel the more truth we can comprehend. To understand the things that are at our door is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond.
Quote examples
Richard Dawkins
English Scientist
Darwin gives courage to the rest of science that we shall end up understanding literally everything, springing from almost nothing - a thought extremely hard to comprehend and believe.
Quote examples
Richard Russo
American Novelist
The deepest failures any fiction writer is likely to have are failures of not quite comprehending the truth of the story that he or she is telling.
Quote examples
Harry Emerson Fosdick
American Clergyman
I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.
Quote examples
Oliver Ellsworth
American Lawyer
Liberty is a word which, according as it is used, comprehends the most good and the most evil of any in the world.
Quote examples
Stanley Crouch
American Critic
Our democratic richness arrives when we're able to comprehend our collective humanity accurately.
Quote examples
Ansel Adams
American Photographer
Myths and creeds are heroic struggles to comprehend the truth in the world.
Quote examples
Edward Young
English Poet
Wise it is to comprehend the whole.
Example 1 of 10
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