apprehend
ap-rih-HEND
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnd/
To arrest or capture someone for a crime.
More formal than 'arrest'; often emphasizes the physical act of catching or seizing a fleeing suspect.
The story behind the word. Apprehend stems from Latin 'ad-' (towards) and 'prehendere' (to grasp or seize). Over centuries, it evolved to mean physically seizing a criminal as well as mentally grasping an idea.
Word relationships
- arrest: Arrest emphasizes legal custody, while apprehend emphasizes the act of capturing.
- capture: Capture applies broadly to animals or military targets; apprehend is specifically legal and criminal.
- release: Release means setting a captive individual free.
- evade: Evade means escaping physical capture.
Commonly confused with
- comprehend: Comprehend means to understand; apprehend means to capture or seize.
Word family
- apprehension (noun): The act of capturing, or a feeling of anxiety
- apprehensive (adjective): Anxious or fearful about future events
Collocations
- apprehend a suspect
- apprehend a fugitive
- failed to apprehend
- swiftly apprehend
Example sentences
- "Federal marshals managed to apprehend the fugitive after a multi-state manhunt." Police bulletin
- "Law enforcement officers are authorized to apprehend individuals caught committing a felony." Legal commentary
Memory hook
Put your HANDS up when police APPREHEND you! Seize or catch a suspect.
When not to use
Do not use in casual conversation when 'catch' or 'arrest' is more natural.
Fun facts
- Because 'prehendere' means to grasp, 'apprehend' actually meant 'mental understanding' in English before it was used for legal arrests!
Explore more words
apprehensive, abduct, incarcerate, interrogate, detention, convict
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.