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

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.
Recent Examples of educate Federal funding, including billions to help educate students with disabilities, is still flowing. Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2025 The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice. Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025 That year, Bond said lifeguards made 9,618 rescues and reached out 6,741 times to educate people on appropriate and safe beachgoing behaviors. Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025 Abraham ‘Bram’ Stoker (1847 – 1912) was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and joined the Irish Civil Service before his love of theatre led him to become the unpaid drama critic for the Dublin Mail. Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for educate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for educate
Verb
  • Michael Meredith, an avid duck hunter, will teach basic calling techniques.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Antipsychotic medications can reduce hallucinations and delusions, while therapies and rehabilitations can address specific concerns, like teaching cognitive techniques or enhancing social skills to interact with others.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In addition to setting up his Instagram account, Lopez also inspired Guzman with her ability to balance so many different roles at one time.
    Sabienna Bowman, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The staff is multilingual and genuinely warm, the design aesthetic feels globally inspired rather than trying to replicate some outdated European ideal, and the programming leans into wellness and community in ways that resonate with what many Black travelers are seeking right now.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Educate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/educate. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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