Synonyms of educate

educate

verb

ˈe-jə-ˌkāt 

1

as in to teach

to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field

a revered professor of astronomy who is credited with educating many of today's leading astronomers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• teach
• instruct
• school
• indoctrinate
• train
• lesson
• tutor
• inform
• guide
• prepare
• coach
• lecture
• mentor
• enlighten
• preach
• instill
• introduce
• prime
• instil
• inculcate
• ground
• moralize
• edify
• familiarize
• drill
• lead
• show
• qualify
• catechize
• retrain
• habilitate
• reeducate
• direct
• impart (to)
• initiate
• fit
• implant
• rear
• homeschool
• brief
• reteach
• verse
• reschool

2

as in to inspire

to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding

the belief that parents better educate their children by example than by sending them to Sunday school

Synonyms & Similar Words

• inspire
• enlighten
• enrich
• illumine
• nurture
• transform
• edify
• illuminate
• uplift
• improve
• elevate
• ennoble
• better
• illume
• lift
• exalt
• regenerate
• renew
• ensoul
• transfigure
• glorify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confuse
• puzzle
• obscure
• perplex
• darken
• cloud
• becloud

Synonym Chooser

How is the word educate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of educate are discipline, instruct, school, teach, and train. While all these words mean "to cause to acquire knowledge or skill," educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

When might discipline be a better fit than educate?

Although the words discipline and educate have much in common, discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

When would instruct be a good substitute for educate?

In some situations, the words instruct and educate are roughly equivalent. However, instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

In what contexts can school take the place of educate?

The words school and educate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

Where would teach be a reasonable alternative to educate?

The synonyms teach and educate are sometimes interchangeable, but teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

When can train be used instead of educate?

The meanings of train and educate largely overlap; however, train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of educate

The exhibition also educates visitors on the policies that shaped — and threatened — neighborhoods. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

In an age where so many people educate themselves simply by watching hours of tennis serves or cooking videos on YouTube, the CLA fits the paradigm shift of empowering the individual to shape their direction. —Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025

In June, Fort Worth police started a campaign to increase patrols in downtown and begin educating people about the problem of loud noise. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025

Supporting parents could include educating parents about the protocols in place to protect students. —Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 29 Sep. 2025