Apprehension

/ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.

She felt a sense of apprehension as she waited for the test results.

Understanding or awareness of something.

His apprehension of the complex topic surprised his teachers.

The act of perceiving or apprehending an idea or concept.

Apprehension of the new information took a while for the students.

From Latin 'apprehensio', from 'apprehendere' meaning 'to seize, grasp, or take hold of'.

sense of apprehension

a feeling of anxiety regarding potential danger or trouble.

apprehensive about

worried or fearful about something.

apprehension of danger

an awareness or recognition of potential harm or risk.

apprehend

to seize or take hold of, often in a legal context.

apprehensive

feeling anxious or fearful that something bad will happen.

apprehensiveness

the quality of being apprehensive; anxiety.

the jitters

I've got the jitters about tomorrow's big presentation.

butterflies in the stomach

I always get butterflies in the stomach before speaking in public.