Synonyms of scholarship

scholarship

noun

ˈskä-lər-ˌship 

as in literacy

the understanding and information gained from being educated

the historian's new book displays a remarkable level of scholarship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• literacy
• knowledge
• education
• learning
• erudition
• culture
• learnedness
• enlightenment
• edification
• reading
• pedantry
• bookishness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignorance
• illiteracy
• illiterateness
• functional illiteracy

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun scholarship differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of scholarship are erudition, knowledge, and learning. While all these words mean "what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind," 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

When might erudition be a better fit than scholarship?

The synonyms erudition and scholarship are sometimes interchangeable, but erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

Where would knowledge be a reasonable alternative to scholarship?

Although the words knowledge and scholarship have much in common, knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

When is learning a more appropriate choice than scholarship?

The words learning and scholarship are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scholarship

Walker owed his playing career to Riverside and Lorch, whose money and contacts led him to a major college scholarship. —Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025

What catches my eye now is an ad, a call for a scholarship and a chance to win a full ride at SOAS University of London. —Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025

Organizers expected 300 attendees over the four days, including scholarship recipients, guest speakers and affiliates from across the region, according to the event's website. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025

In 2022, a fundraising live auction during Sweetwater’s 50th anniversary gala earmarked some of the money for ELM’s scholarship and tuition programs. —Paul Liberatore, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025