educate

verb

ed·​u·​cate ˈe-jə-ˌkāt 

educated; educating

transitive verb

1

a

: to provide schooling for

chose to educate their children at home

b

: to train by formal instruction and supervised practice especially in a skill, trade, or profession

2

a

: to develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically especially by instruction

b

: to provide with information : inform

educating themselves about changes in the industry

3

: to persuade or condition to feel, believe, or act in a desired way

educate the public to support our position

intransitive verb

: to educate a person or thing

Synonyms

• indoctrinate
• instruct
• lesson
• school
• teach
• train
• tutor

Choose the Right Synonym for educate

teach, instruct, educate, train, discipline, school 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

instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

Example Sentences

Parents trust schools to educate their children.

The job of our public schools is to educate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Since then, the college has educated future military leaders including Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Gen. George Patton and Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. —Bobby Caina Calvan, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2023

The goal is the same: to educate and entertain the viewer. —Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 26 May 2023

Wrapping up its second year of educating junior high school students, Explore Academy in Pine Bluff received a national award Wednesday to the surprise of many. —I.c. Murrell, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2023

This was kind of my time to give back and to educate and really mentor and push forward Black women in this luxury sector in real estate. —Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 15 May 2023

The program educates members on the spiritual, psychological and financial impacts of addiction while also providing individual and family counseling, treatment planning and drug and alcohol testing. —Nick Alvarez | [e-mail], al, 12 May 2023

The good news is that there are local mushroom hunting groups that can educate you almost everywhere that edible mushrooms grow. —Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 11 May 2023

The report’s authors looked to models in other cities that, instead of deploying armed police, have tackled traffic safety by reinvesting in street improvements and educating the public while exploring alternative methods for holding motorists accountable. —Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2023

The namesake son of the top scorer in NBA history played at Sierra Canyon School, which is known for educating scions of the sports and entertainment industries in Chatsworth, an outer suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles. —Greg Beacham, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to rear, from Latin educatus, past participle of educare to rear, educate, from educere to lead forth — more at educe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing educate

• self-educate

• self-educate

Kids Definition

educate

verb

ed·​u·​cate ˈej-ə-ˌkāt 

educated; educating

1

: to provide schooling for

2

a

: to develop the mind and morals of especially by instruction

b

: train entry 2 sense 2a

educator

-ˌkāt-ər

noun