scholarship

noun

schol·​ar·​ship ˈskä-lər-ˌship How to pronounce scholarship (audio)
Synonyms of scholarshipnext
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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Advertisement Wanling Su is an Assistant Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, whose scholarship examines the historical foundations of the constitutional jury right. Time, 17 Dec. 2025 Starting in 2027, private donations of up to $1,700 for school choice scholarships will be eligible for 100% federal tax credits. Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 17 Dec. 2025 During that time, Abrahamson accepted money on behalf of the Legion from a donor to fund student scholarships toward summer and vocational programs. Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 16 Dec. 2025 That scholarship is rooted in his own experience as a Ugandan citizen of Indian origin who was twice rendered stateless due to political turmoil in East Africa during the 1970s and 80s. Leila Fadel, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scholarship

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scholarship was circa 1536

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Cite this Entry

“Scholarship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scholarship. Accessed 25 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

scholarship

noun
schol·​ar·​ship ˈskäl-ər-ˌship How to pronounce scholarship (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on scholarship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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