learning

noun

learn·​ing ˈlər-niŋ 

1

: the act or experience of one that learns

a computer program that makes learning fun

2

: knowledge or skill acquired by instruction or study

people of good education and considerable learning

3

: modification of a behavioral tendency by experience (such as exposure to conditioning)

4

: machine learning

Unsupervised learning, also known as unsupervised machine learning, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze and cluster unlabeled datasets. These algorithms discover hidden patterns or data groupings without the need for human intervention.

—IBM

Supervised machine learning requires labeled data to adjust the parameters of the model during training. … But without quality training data, supervised learning models will end up making poor inferences.

—Ben Dickson

Reinforcement machine learning trains machines through trial and error to take the best action by establishing a reward system. Reinforcement learning can train models to play games or train autonomous vehicles to drive by telling the machine when it made the right decisions, which helps it learn over time what actions it should take.

—Sara Brown

a learning system/model/algorithm

Synonyms

• literacy
• knowledge
• education

Choose the Right Synonym for learning

knowledge, learning, erudition, scholarship mean what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind.

knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

scholarship implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation.

a work of first-rate literary scholarship

Examples of learning in a Sentence

a computer program that makes learning fun

different methods of foreign language learning

The first year of college was a learning experience.

They were people of good education and considerable learning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Leaders must train their prefrontal cortex to stay calm under pressure and turn tough feedback into adaptive learning. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

This article is part of The Times’ early childhood education initiative, focusing on the learning and development of California children from birth to age 5. —Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2025

The study states that the three groups included a language learning model group, in which participants only used OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o to write their essays. —Greta Cross, USA Today, 21 June 2025

Outside of federal services, demand remains strong for talent in areas such as health care, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, said Emma Long Garber, a vice president overseeing sales and delivery in the Mid-Atlantic for employment company Insight Global. —Ani Freedman, Fortune, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing learning

• associative learning
• book learning
• deep learning
• distance learning
• higher learning
• institution of higher learning
• learning curve
• learning difference
• learning difficulty
• learning disability
• machine learning
• paired-associate learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Reinforcement machine learning
• supervised learning
• Supervised machine learning
• Unsupervised learning
• unsupervised machine learning

Rhymes for learning

• burning
• churning
• earning
• spurning
• turning
• yearning
• adjourning
• concerning
• discerning
• returning
• overturning

Kids Definition

learning

noun

learn·​ing

ˈlər-niŋ

1

: the act or experience of one that learns

2

: knowledge or skill acquired by instruction or study

Medical Definition

learning

noun

learn·​ing

: the process of acquiring a modification in a behavioral tendency by experience (as exposure to conditioning) in contrast to modifications occurring because of development or a temporary physiological condition (as fatigue) of the organism

also : the modified behavioral tendency itself