teach

Synonym Chooser

How is the word teach different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of teach are discipline, educate, instruct, school, and train. While all these words mean "to cause to acquire knowledge or skill," teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

When can discipline be used instead of teach?

The meanings of discipline and teach largely overlap; however, discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

When is educate a more appropriate choice than teach?

While the synonyms educate and teach are close in meaning, educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

When could instruct be used to replace teach?

The synonyms instruct and teach are sometimes interchangeable, but instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

Where would school be a reasonable alternative to teach?

In some situations, the words school and teach are roughly equivalent. However, school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

When is it sensible to use train instead of teach?

The words train and teach are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 teach In 1978, Least Heat-Moon lost his job teaching English. Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025 Having family overseas taught Lacy about different levels of poverty around the globe. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 In 2022-23, only 55.6% of teachers were still teaching in public schools by their seventh year. Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 13 Aug. 2025 He’s taught in the criminal justice program for 37 years, including courses in investigations, serial killers, corrections and criminal procedures, regarding what police can and can’t do. Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for teach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teach
educate
Verb
  • Altogether, 467 Wisconsin schools that educate more than 80% of the state's high school juniors are signed up this year.
    Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • That her book and advocacy can educate and, over time, effect change.
    Danielle Bacher, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Teach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teach. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on teach

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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