English Reference
Adjective

apprehended

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌæpɹɪˈhɛndɪd/ UK /ˌæpɹɪhˈɛndɪd/ ap·pre·hend·ed

adj.worried or nervous about something that is going to happen. You feel this way when you are unsure if the result will be good or bad.

adj.feeling anxiety or fear about a future event or outcome. Typically used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'feel' or 'be'.


SIMPLE

She felt apprehended about the job interview.

CONTEXTUAL

The students looked apprehended before the final exam began.

COMPLEX

Despite his years of experience, the surgeon remained apprehended about the complexity of the procedure.

Usage

The adjective is typically used predicatively (e.g. 'felt apprehended') rather than attributively before a noun.

It brings the total number of people apprehended to six, after one arrest in February, two in January and one in November, the EA said.

The Guardian· 8 Sept 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated