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

The four other contestants — Aubrey, Duneland Club; JaMal, East Chicago Katherine House Club; Keion, Lake Station Club; and Witten, Portage Club – each received $1,250 scholarships. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026

Officials said 17 students are currently finishing their associate's degrees this year, and now the scholarship offer will be even more widely available. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026

But both took the field, eventually earning scholarships; Williams graduated in 1969 and Reynolds followed suit a year later. —Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026

Today, Wake-Robin awards thousands in scholarships to young Black female golfers or those pursuing careers in golf club management. —Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, USA Today, 27 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