variants
or schoolma'am
as in teacher
US, old-fashioned
a woman who teaches in a school in a small town or in the country
In the movie, she plays a doting schoolmarm in colonial New England.
Related Words
Relevance
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 schoolmarm
No ruler-wielding schoolmarm can impart the urgency of learning the way hunger can.
—
John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
This, to Newsom, is being strong; the right are the fainthearted schoolmarms now.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board took note of the hard-right’s distress, let down its tightly wound schoolmarm bun and snickered right out loud.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
The search for a missing schoolmarm is the focus of an escape room experience at the Lanesfield School, a historic one-room schoolhouse in Edgerton.
—Beth Lipoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2025
University deans, schoolmarms and human resources managers penned dress codes outright forbidding the garment or relegating it to certain areas.
—The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse.
—Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023
Then there’s Jeffrey Wright’s gung-ho military man, Matt Dillon’s bubbleheaded grease monkey, Steve Carell’s apologetic motel owner, Maya Hawke’s friendly schoolmarm, and Rupert Friend’s cowboy loverboy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
In the music video, Gavin plays the titular cheerleader who is smitten with a girl in the program; meanwhile, Bridgers plays the pink-haired schoolmarm in charge, while popular gay comedian Caleb Hearon plays a conflicted gay coach.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022
John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
This, to Newsom, is being strong; the right are the fainthearted schoolmarms now.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board took note of the hard-right’s distress, let down its tightly wound schoolmarm bun and snickered right out loud.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
The search for a missing schoolmarm is the focus of an escape room experience at the Lanesfield School, a historic one-room schoolhouse in Edgerton.
—Beth Lipoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2025
University deans, schoolmarms and human resources managers penned dress codes outright forbidding the garment or relegating it to certain areas.
—The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse.
—Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023
Then there’s Jeffrey Wright’s gung-ho military man, Matt Dillon’s bubbleheaded grease monkey, Steve Carell’s apologetic motel owner, Maya Hawke’s friendly schoolmarm, and Rupert Friend’s cowboy loverboy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
In the music video, Gavin plays the titular cheerleader who is smitten with a girl in the program; meanwhile, Bridgers plays the pink-haired schoolmarm in charge, while popular gay comedian Caleb Hearon plays a conflicted gay coach.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schoolmarm
Noun
-
Pritchard, who served as a deputy under multiple Yolo County supervisors and spent decades as a teacher, has the support of the Yolo County Business PAC, which backs pro-business candidates.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
-
Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic Pikes Peak During the summer of 1893, poet and literature professor Katharine Lee Bates joined other teachers working in Colorado Springs for the summer and took a ride to the top of Pikes Peak.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Why does the mistress get to do wrong and flaunt it?—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
That meant, of course, that Byron, the King Charles spaniel, notable lapdog and occasional Chopard mascot, would be in attendance alongside his mistress, the co-president.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Born on July 27, 1954, in Israel, Janklowicz was a one-time Olympic hopeful in the decathlon, and dedicated his early years to track and field before serving as a fitness instructor in the Israel Defense Forces.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
-
Learn to ride Atlantic swells from expert instructors in towns like Lagos.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Schoolmarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schoolmarm. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
