unlearned; unlearning; unlearns
1
: to put out of one's knowledge or memory
… he would have to unlearn the pro athlete's mantra of "playing with pain."—
Victor Frankel
Victor Frankel2
: to undo the effect of : discard the habit of
Examples of unlearn in a Sentence
It is hard to unlearn bad habits.
let's hope that over the summer I don't unlearn everything I learned over the course of this past year
Recent Examples on the Web
While the process of unlearning everything you’ve ever been taught doesn’t happen overnight, resources like this new guidebook from Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall, a design anthropologist, educator, and writer, are excellent tools for self-improvement.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 9 Feb. 2026
With this framing, Think Again becomes an invitation not just to learn how to unlearn, but to help others do the same.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Because the film, directed by Josh Safdie, is set in that era, Chalamet had to unlearn modern technique.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025
Here’s how to unlearn the ones holding you back.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlearn
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Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 9 Feb. 2026
With this framing, Think Again becomes an invitation not just to learn how to unlearn, but to help others do the same.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Because the film, directed by Josh Safdie, is set in that era, Chalamet had to unlearn modern technique.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025
Here’s how to unlearn the ones holding you back.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlearn
Cite this Entry
“Unlearn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlearn. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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unlearn
verb
un·learn
ˌən-ˈlərn 
: to put out of one's knowledge or memory
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