apprehend

/ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/

//ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"apprehend" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“apprehend” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #28,118 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#28,118
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To be or become aware of (something); to perceive.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

apprehend vs apprehended
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for apprehend
PropertyValue
Headwordapprehend
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#28,118
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “apprehend” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). apprehend lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for apprehend is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/. Corpus data places it at rank #28,118 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for apprehend, with forms such as "apperhend", "appreehnd", and "apprehedn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "apprehended", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Middle English apprehenden (“to grasp, take hold of; to comprehend; to learn”), from Old French apprehender (modern French appréhender (“to apprehend; to catch; to dread”)), from Latin apprehendere, adprehendere, the present active infinitive of a… The correct English form is apprehend, spelled A-P-P-R-E-H-E-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be or become aware of (something); to perceive.
  2. 2
    To acknowledge the existence of (something); to recognize.
  3. 3
    To take hold of (something) with understanding; to conceive (something) in the mind; to become cognizant of; to understand.
  4. 4
    To have a conception of (something); to consider, to regard.
  5. 5
    To anticipate (something, usually unpleasant); especially, to anticipate (something) with anxiety, dread, or fear; to dread, to fear.
  6. 6
    To seize or take (something); to take hold of.
  7. 7
    To seize or take (a person) by legal process; to arrest.
  8. 8
    To feel (something) emotionally.
  9. 9
    To learn (something).
  10. 10
    To take possession of (something); to seize.
  11. 11
    To be of opinion, believe, or think; to suppose.
  12. 12
    To understand.
  13. 13
    To be apprehensive; to fear.

Etymology

From Late Middle English apprehenden (“to grasp, take hold of; to comprehend; to learn”), from Old French apprehender (modern French appréhender (“to apprehend; to catch; to dread”)), from Latin apprehendere, adprehendere, the present active infinitive of apprehendō, adprehendō (“to grab, grasp, seize, take; to apprehend, arrest; to comprehend, understand; to embrace, include; to take possession of, obtain, secure”), from ap-, ad- (prefix meaning ‘to’) + prehendō (“to grab, grasp, seize, snatch, take; to accost; to catch in the act, take by surprise; (figuratively, rare) of the mind: to apprehend, comprehend, grasp”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to hold, seize, take; to find”)).

This word in other languages

aprehender(Español)appréhender(Français)begreifen(Deutsch)entender(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apperhend,appreehnd,apprehedn,apprehendd,apprehennd,apprehhend,apprehned,apprheend,apprrehend,aprehend,aprpehend,paprehend

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of apprehend - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

apperhend2appreehnd2apprehedn2apprehendd1apprehennd1apprehhend1apprehned2apprheend2
Edit distance from "apprehend"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "apprehend"?
"apprehend" is spelled A-P-P-R-E-H-E-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/.
What does "apprehend" mean?
As a verb, "apprehend" means: To be or become aware of (something); to perceive.
What words are commonly confused with "apprehend"?
"apprehend" is commonly confused with "apprehended". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "apprehend"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "apprehend" is /ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "apprehend"?
From Late Middle English apprehenden (“to grasp, take hold of; to comprehend; to learn”), from Old French apprehender (modern French appréhender (“to apprehend; to catch; to dread”)), from Latin apprehendere, adprehendere, the present active infin... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “apprehend”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-R-E-H-E-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “apprehended” - see the side-by-side comparison. apprehend vs apprehended
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list