Apprehensive
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnsɪv/
adjectiveBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
Anxious or fearful that something bad might happen.
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnsɪv/
adjectivenegativeBeginner
General
Feeling or showing anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
He was apprehensive about his job interview.
💡 Simply: Worried about something bad.
More Examples
2
The dog was apprehensive of strangers.
How It's Used
Everyday Life
"She felt apprehensive about the upcoming exam."
Psychology
"The patient exhibited apprehensive behavior before the surgery."
From Middle English *apprehensive*, from Latin *apprehendere* "to seize, grasp; understand," from *ad-* "to" + *prehendere* "to seize."
The word has maintained a similar meaning throughout its history, consistently relating to anxiety and fear of future events.
Memory tip
Think of 'apprehending' danger - it's the feeling of fearing something bad might happen.
Practice
Base: apprehend
aprehensiveapprehenciveaprehensive
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written