apprehension
anxiety or fear about a future event; also, the act of understanding or grasping something mentally
Word origin: From Latin apprehendere, to seize (ad- to plus prehendere to grasp).
Apprehension in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing apprehension in a sentence.
She felt a creeping apprehension as the deadline for the verdict approached.
A faint apprehension settled over the crew as the storm clouds gathered on the horizon.
Using “apprehension” well
Apprehension carries two senses: anxious dread of what may come, and the mental grasping of an idea. On the GRE the fearful sense is far more common, distinct from the neutral act of comprehension.
More GRE words starting with A
to lower in rank, dignity, or self-respect
to make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed
to lessen in intensity or amount
to formally give up power or responsibility
departing from what is normal or expected
a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
a state of temporary suspension or inactivity
to regard with strong disgust or hatred
Questions about “apprehension”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Definitions in isolation do not stick. Sit a free, full-length GRE mock and meet this vocabulary inside real text completion and sentence equivalence questions, with your score and a worked solution for every answer.