apprehensions

noun

plural of apprehension
1
as in arrests
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law apprehension of the burglar set the neighborhood at ease

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in understandings
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something a good apprehension of how computer systems work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of apprehensions According to the North Richland Hills Police Department, Koba assisted in numerous arrests and apprehensions and supported multiple agencies in patrol and narcotics detection. — Doug Myers, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 From the energizing first news conference upon his return to the way the coaching staff and players reacted to both his Kansas City comeback and the tragic implications of his recent time away, those apprehensions seem unfounded. — Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026 But behind the pomp and ceremony of official Washington, the meeting will reveal two wary superpowers projecting their doubts and apprehensions onto the other. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Luckily, the portal unlocks your apprehensions and brings out the part of you that yearns to express yourself and achieve your passions. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026 In another operation the same month, agents discussed making 31 apprehensions. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 Fan apprehensions proved to be grounded when Belgium scored a third goal about 12 minutes into the second half. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026 Any apprehensions about whether a first-time collaboration between Hartford’s two largest self-producing theaters — Hartford Stage and TheaterWorks Hartford — could gel smoothly enough to grasp all the nuances of this challenging work are dispelled immediately by the opening number. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2026 Nearly 25% of parents who track their adult children said the monitoring could sometimes magnify their apprehensions rather than give them reassurance, according to the poll. — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehensions
  1. arrests
  2. understandings
  3. perceptions
  4. appreciations
Noun
  • The deployment of more than 1,500 soldiers to protect Michoacán’s avocado-growing region and recent arrests of people allegedly involved in extortion have eased concerns, but only partially.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Each year more than 50% of felony arrests involve Black New Yorkers even though Black New Yorkers now make up less than 25% of our city’s population.
    — Robert Gangi, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrests
Noun
  • Their speculations, although deemed inaccurate by later historians, helped shape popular understandings of the ancient druids.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But few such understandings appear to exist in the Russian-Ukrainian case.
    — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of understandings
Noun
  • The perceptions of Los Angeles are glossy, fast-paced, and ambitious.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Lower costs, safety, and federal aid eligibility are key draws, challenging perceptions that overseas study is only for the wealthy.
    — Anna Esaki-Smith, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of perceptions
Noun
  • Played on the show by Sarah Pidgeon, audiences on TikTok have gone into a frenzy with appreciations and tutorials showing how to style Besette staples like a white shirt, pencil skirt, and headband.
    — Valentina Bottoni, Vanity Fair, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Brian LaCroix, restaurant operator at Chick-fil-A, said the fast food chain will no longer be offering the military appreciations special.
    — Rosanna Fraire, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of appreciations

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apprehension
apprehensions
apprehensive
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Cite this Entry

“Apprehensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehensions. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on apprehensions

Nglish: Translation of apprehensions for Spanish Speakers

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