apprenticeship

noun

ap·​pren·​tice·​ship ə-ˈpren-tə(sh)-ˌship How to pronounce apprenticeship (audio)
ə-ˈpren-təs-ˌship
Synonyms of apprenticeship
1
: a position as an apprentice : an arrangement in which someone learns an art, trade, or job under another
He obtained an apprenticeship with a carpenter.
Later that year, he decided to become a barrister—a career that requires acceptance into an apprenticeship …—Sidney Blumenthal
2
: the period of time when a person is an apprentice
During most of his apprenticeship he lived in Paris …—Robert Penn Warren
a two-year apprenticeship

Synonyms of apprenticeship

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of apprenticeship in a Sentence

only after long apprenticeship as a camera operator was he appointed director of photography on a major motion picture
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Students explore careers earlier, complete authentic projects, earn college credit, participate in internships and apprenticeships, and graduate with meaningful workplace experience. — Lisa Schade, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Entry-level work, then, traditionally functioned as a kind of apprenticeship. — Murugan Anandarajan, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026 Supporters, mostly consisting of union workers from Contra Costa County, said the project creates jobs, apprenticeship opportunities, and economic benefits. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 Moore describes her apprenticeship as both exciting and exhausting. — Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for apprenticeship

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of apprenticeship was in 1592

Rhymes for apprenticeship

See All Rhymes for apprenticeship

Browse Nearby Words

apprenticehood
apprenticeship
appressed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Apprenticeship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprenticeship. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

apprenticeship

noun
ap·​pren·​tice·​ship
ə-ˈprent-əs-ˌship
1
: service as an apprentice
2
: the period during which a person serves as an apprentice

More from Merriam-Webster on apprenticeship

Nglish: Translation of apprenticeship for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All