UNDERSTOOD Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

understood

verb

Definition of understood

past tense of understand

as in derived

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information as I understand it, this is the best plan that we have

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in knew

to have a practical understanding of I think I understand how an engine works now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in comprehended

to have a clear idea of after a few weeks in Russia I began to understand the language a little bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of understood And the latest archaeoacoustic techniques show that even the world’s earliest architects understood this. — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026 That leaves room for disputes in which both sides agree the job began as at will but disagree about what was understood later. — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 It is better understood as a symptom of political exhaustion and vulnerability following years of division, economic hardship, and war. — Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026 And when cameras immediately focused on McCarthy, everyone understood his response by reading his lips. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Carson observed that the butterflies’ lifespan seemed short, but understood that the measure is something else from their perspective. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 In my case, the individual discussions ranged from totally fascinating with someone who totally understood the work … and then another person who was very open about being skeptical about how genetics could possibly solve such a problem. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026 DeMaio questioned whether Weber understood what Proposition 39 proposes. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 However, its more fundamental influence on biology has remained poorly understood, researchers say. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for understood

Verb

Because the materials used in synthetic fibers are derived from petroleum, those investments helped lay the groundwork for Sunkyong’s later expansion into oil refining.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026
Most savings derived from Pace will be realized in fiscal 2029 and 2030, Denon told investors, adding that the full realization of the program will carry over into fiscal 2031.

— Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of derived

Verb

Bella chews him out for punching Angus in the face right before Angus’s big presentation, which Johnny knew about because they were supposed to throw a return supper for him, a dinner Johnny was supposed to cook.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Drivers knew the back entrances, the factory layouts, and the best path to the boss of a mom-and-pop workshop.

— Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of knew

Verb

The polling points to the enduring legacy of 9/11, even as many Americans today are too young to have experienced or comprehended the event a quarter-century ago.

— Linley Sanders, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
The frames keep changing regardless of how much the viewer has noticed or comprehended.

— Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Definition of comprehended

Verb

On second thought, that seems like an expensive experiment to undertake with uncertain results, but the folks at Brown-Forman decided to try something similar.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026
At Trâmette, Quang decided to test out the gratuity payment option — but only for guests with whom the staff may have struck a particularly good rapport.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of decided

Verb

Curie's initial Nobel was for physics, but the second, for chemistry in 1911, recognized her work on polonium and the isolation of pure radium.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
He is recognized as the teen prodigy who went missing a decade prior, and his return as an up-and-coming conductor is heralded.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of recognized

Verb

More than 15 years after the regular series concluded, Action Arena‘s games continue to entertain audiences.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
When concertgoers became notorious for all manner of anti-social behavior, from throwing random stuff on stage to shouting disruptive comments during sets, that many concluded was a result of spending so much time in isolation.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of concluded

Verb

But a more apt comparison might be the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, in which Medieval scholars deciphered the staggering ruins of Classical Rome.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2026
Re-creating the Herculaneum scrolls To date, one entire scroll and passages from others have been deciphered, largely thanks to the Vesuvius Challenge, a project launched in 2023 that encourages researchers to decode scrolls for cash prizes.

— Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of deciphered

Verb

So all three of your adaptations have grasped quite the attention before even coming out.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
When visiting Ground Zero, Surdo said he was struck by the scale and the enormity of the destruction and the sulfurish smell, which were two things that couldn’t be grasped by seeing the site on television.

— Andis Robeznieks, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of grasped

Browse Nearby Words

understating

understood

understudied

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Understood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understood. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of understood

verb

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