comprehended
/ˌkɒm.prɪˈhend/ (bre, ipa) · [kˌɑmprɪhˈɛndɪd] /ˌkɑːm.prəˈhend/ (ame, ipa) · [kˌɑmprɪhˈɛndɪd] /ˌkäm-pri-ˈhend -prē-/ (ame, mw)
comprehended — verb
- comprehendedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- comprehendeds3rd person singular
- comprehendeding-ing form
- comprehendededpast simple
1. to fully grasp what something means, especially when it is a complex idea or sit
to fully grasp what something means, especially when it is a complex idea or situation that needs careful thought
The students finally comprehended the main point of the lecture after asking several questions.
comprehend + noun phrase after effort
Anya never fully comprehended how much her family had given up for her education.
comprehend + wh-clause (how much)
The committee comprehended the seriousness of the crisis only after reading the full report.
Trang comprehended the new procedures only after her coworker demonstrated them step by step.
Before he signed the contract, Samir had comprehended the risks but chose to proceed.
- understand
more common and less formal; 'understand' covers partial or general knowing, while 'comprehend' stresses complete understanding
- grasp
suggests mentally seizing or holding an idea; slightly less formal than 'comprehend' and often used with abstract concepts
- fathom
implies understanding something very difficult or mysterious; more literary and less common in everyday speech
- misunderstand
to understand incorrectly, the opposite of comprehending correctly
文法句型
comprehend + noun phrase
comprehend + wh-clause (how, why, what, etc.)
comprehend + that-clause
用法筆記
This verb is commonly used with 'can', 'cannot', 'could', or 'could not' to express ability or inability to understand. It is more formal than 'understand' and implies a deeper, more complete level of comprehension. 'Comprehend' is rarely used in progressive tenses (✔ 'I comprehend' vs. ✖ 'I am comprehending').