learning 1 of 2

Definition of learningnext
as in education
the understanding and information gained from being educated the learning that you get from books is just as important as the experience you get from life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

learning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of learn
1
2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun learning differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of learning are erudition, knowledge, and scholarship. While all these words mean "what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind," learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

Where would erudition be a reasonable alternative to learning?

The words erudition and learning are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

In what contexts can knowledge take the place of learning?

The words knowledge and learning can be used in similar contexts, but knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

When could scholarship be used to replace learning?

While the synonyms scholarship and learning are close in meaning, 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

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 learning
Noun
Then the pandemic hit, and participation thinned after months of remote learning. Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 That was a big learning practice of having to step into a character that potentially had so much on her already because of the books, and then trying to sort of bring that to life in a way that didn't disappoint people's love for the character. Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Verb
When to Take Magnesium to Lower Blood Pressure Scientists are still learning how magnesium supplements affect blood pressure. Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 12 May 2026 The company’s founding team includes MIT postdoctoral researchers, former Meta machine learning leaders, ex-Google engineers, and AI PhDs from HKUST and UC Berkeley. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for learning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for learning
Noun
  • When Bloomberg, a strong proponent of education reform, was seeking to increase the number of charter schools in the city, Jeffries co-sponsored a bill that more than doubled the state’s charter-school cap.
    Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • The bildungsroman was a staple of my school and college literary education.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Most people spend year one with their heads down, mastering the job.
    Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
  • While others were mastering the blues, Jimi Hendrix was rewiring rock.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Cannes, after all, has always prided itself on discovering and nurturing new talent — and pushing the envelope of what cinema both is and can be.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 15 May 2026
  • For Birmingham, that means discovering what Alabama’s second-largest city really offers—especially its quietly stellar food scene that’s been racking up James Beard nominations.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • For Yeon, the decision to revisit zombies wasn’t about retreading familiar ground but finding the right vessel for exploring modern anxieties.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
  • The next step is finding a place to meet in the middle and clarify what’s unsaid or unclear on both sides.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • One way that astronomers determine the distance to an object in space is by studying its light.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
  • What began as a groundbreaking social experiment to see how a group of strangers could live together on an island for 39 days has gradually evolved into an intricate strategy game that superfans devote their lives to studying.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • But despite assurances that the impact on businesses has been minimized, some groups still worried that the AI bill — despite its sections on workforce development and increasing AI knowledge — will ultimately create new burdens for businesses that could hamper innovation efforts.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
  • Two people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press that the four-time NFL MVP agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Steelers on Saturday, ending a protracted decision-making process.
    Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • This housing push doesn’t have to do with the construction of new housing as much as getting tenants in the door, which might seem like an odd issue to have in a city with as acute of a housing demand as New York.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
  • Short but sweet Jacksonville took advantage of perhaps the most famous offseason haircut with quarterback Trevor Lawrence getting his long locks cut short on camera after introducing the Jaguars’ schedule that then plays out on the screen edited down to less than 2 minutes.
    Teresa M. Walker, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • There's really nothing better than firing up a grill and having a nice barbecue, but few things are as enraging as getting ready to cook and realizing something is missing.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
  • Cloudflare axed a fifth of its staff after realizing that thousands of AI agents can handle the humans’ old tasks.
    Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 15 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Learning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/learning. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on learning

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster