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 The young people are being educated in the West — both the United States and the United Kingdom — and bringing their skills home. Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025 Beacon has record enrollment and a growing national reputation of excellence in educating students with learning differences amid a $14.5 million capital campaign — goals buoyed by the Fogg Charitable Trust. Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2025 Retail investors shouldn’t be seen as hurdles, but rather as opportunities for widespread adoption, and must be educated for sustainable innovation. Joash Lee, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Healthcare providers and community leaders must also educate patients about vaccination benefits, particularly for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and those with high exposure. Dr. Jerome Adams, Time, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for educate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for educate
Verb
  • Prior to receiving any money, all participants will go through a series of eight financial literacy classes that will teach skills like budgeting, investing, and long-term financial planning.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
  • But those early days, taking classes during the day and working at night, taught her an invaluable life lesson.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Palm Tree Crew, which was valued in 2024 at $150 million, activates each of its partner brands into the fabric of its experiences, which cofounders Kygo and Myles Shear, inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville empire, started about five years ago.
    Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • The end is a three-and-a-half-minute outro inspired by The King and I… the music had this waltzing, temptress thing.
    Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Educate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/educate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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