apprehension

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Anxiety or fear about something that may happen in the future.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable: filled with apprehension; plural is rare.

   Patterns

   • apprehension about something
   • with apprehension
   • growing apprehension

   She waited for the results with apprehension.

   There is apprehension about the coming winter.

2. 2noununcountableformallegal

   The formal act of arresting someone or seizing something.

   Grammar: Legal and formal; very different from the everyday worry sense.

   Patterns

   • apprehension of a suspect
   • the apprehension of stolen goods
   • resist apprehension

   The warrant authorized the apprehension of the suspect.

   Police announced the apprehension of the stolen vehicle.

Common combinations

with apprehension

He opened the letter with apprehension.

growing apprehension

Growing apprehension spread before the announcement.

apprehension about the future

The survey showed apprehension about the future.

apprehension of a suspect

The report described the apprehension of a suspect without injury.

Synonyms and how they differ

anxiety

Anxiety is broader and often stronger or clinical; apprehension points to future trouble.

unease

Unease is milder and less specific than apprehension.

dread

Dread is intense fear of something coming; apprehension is usually less overwhelming.

arrest

Arrest is the legal near-synonym only for the formal second sense.

Opposites

Word family

apprehend verb

to arrest someone, or to understand or fear something

apprehensive adjective

anxious that something bad may happen

Commonly confused: apprehension or comprehension?

Practice

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