study

1 a systematic search for the truth or facts about something conducted a study to determine the sleep needs of adolescents Synonyms delving, disquisition, examen, examination, exploration, inquest, inquisition, investigation, probation, probe, probing, research, inquiryRelated Words quest; audit, check; checkup, diagnosis, inspection; hearing, interrogation, trial; feeler, query, question; poll, questionary, questionnaire, survey; challenge, cross-examination, going-over, grilling, quiz; rehearing, reinvestigation; self-examination, self-exploration, self-questioning, self-reflection, self-scrutiny, soul-searching

2 the state of being lost in thought found her staring at the fire in a deep study Synonyms daydreaming, reverie, trance, woolgatheringRelated Words contemplation, meditation, musing; absentmindedness, absorption, abstraction, preoccupation; chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream, fancy, fantasy (also phantasy), figment, hallucination, illusion, phantasm (also fantasm), pipe dream, unreality, vision

3 a careful weighing of the reasons for or against something the idea is under study by the city council Synonyms account, advisement, debate, deliberation, reflection, consideration, thoughtRelated Words cogitation, contemplation, meditation, pondering, rumination; introspection; agonizing, hesitation, indecision; premeditationAntonyms short shrift

1 to use the mind to acquire knowledge you'll have to study hard and learn all about the Revolutionary War in order to pass the history test Synonyms bone (up) Related Words cram; grind, swot [British]; analyze, deduce, find out; con, learn, memorize, read; research, restudy; apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, understand; absorb, digest Phrases go over, go through

2 to commit to memory having carefully studied the document, he could repeat what it said exactly Synonyms con, learn, memorizeRelated Words hark back (to), mind [chiefly dialect], recall, recollect, relive, remember, reminisce (about), retain, think (of); accept, apprehend, comprehend, get, grasp, know, understand; absorb, digestNear Antonyms disremember, forget, misremember; disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slight, slur (over)Antonyms unlearn

3 to give serious and careful thought to scientists who study the origin of the universe Synonyms chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, entertain, eye, kick around, meditate, mull (over), perpend, pore (over), question, revolve, ruminate, ponder, think (about or over), turn, weigh, wrestle (with)Related Words muse (upon), reflect (on or upon), reminisce; analyze, explore, review; conclude, reason; second-guess, speculate (about); brood (about or over), dwell (on or upon), fixate (on or upon), fret (about or over), obsess (about or over); believe, conceive, opine; absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in)Near Antonyms disregard, ignore, overlook, slight; dismiss, pooh-pooh (also pooh), reject