scholarship

noun

schol·​ar·​ship ˈskä-lər-ˌship 

1

: a grant-in-aid to a student (as by a college or foundation)

2

: the character, qualities, activity, or attainments of a scholar : learning

3

: a fund of knowledge and learning

drawing on the scholarship of the ancients

Synonyms of scholarship

• literacy
• knowledge
• education
• learning

Choose the Right Synonym for scholarship

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 scholarship in a Sentence

She got a scholarship to Yale University.

The organization is offering five $5,000 scholarships.

The essay is a work of serious scholarship.

The book is about his life and scholarship.

Recent Examples on the Web

And that talent earned him a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. —Christopher Derose, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026

The brand, in partnership with BeyGood, awarded $500,000 to 25 cosmetology students and 25 salon owners in need in its first round and has since continued the scholarship program. —Caché McClay, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026

And her voice was such a gift that five music colleges had offered her scholarships. —Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026

Donors who want to provide scholarships to cover religious school tuition can do that now — and can still get a federal tax deduction for their philanthropy. —Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing scholarship

• football scholarship
• full scholarship

Rhymes for scholarship

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip

Kids Definition

scholarship

noun

schol·​ar·​ship ˈskäl-ər-ˌship 

1

: money given (as by a college) to a student to help pay for further education

2

: the character, qualities, or achievements of a scholar