school 1 of 2

noun

ˈskül How to pronounce school (audio)
Definition of schoolnext
as in academy
a place or establishment for teaching and learning one of the first schools in the country to admit girls as students

Synonyms & Similar Words

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school

2 of 2

verb

as in to teach
to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field schooled their children in proper etiquette for formal occasions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of school are discipline, educate, instruct, teach, and train. While all these words mean "to cause to acquire knowledge or skill," school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

When is discipline a more appropriate choice than school?

While in some cases nearly identical to school, discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

In what contexts can educate take the place of school?

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

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

When might instruct be a better fit than school?

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

instructs raw recruits in military drill

When is it sensible to use teach instead of school?

In some situations, the words teach and school are roughly equivalent. However, teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

When can train be used instead of school?

The words train and school can be used in similar contexts, but 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 school
Noun
Many of the students who will be returning to Georgia’s campuses this month are only able to afford school with the help of federal student loans. — Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026 During his tenure, more than a dozen teenagers who scrawled anti-government graffiti on a school wall in Daraa were arrested and tortured. — CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
She was schooled in The African Methodist Pocket Hymn Book and the word-power of sermons. — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Dean Fabrizio and James Teter, each hired in 2009, have been at their Class 6A schools the longest. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for school
Recent Examples of Synonyms for school
  1. academy
  2. teach
  3. seminary
  4. educate
Noun
  • Among the hundreds of choice and career programs, Burke said some new ones this school year include artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, a 911 operator program and a construction academy.
    — Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Competitive admission to the academy, rank insignia on every uniform, exactly one captain per ship.
    — Gautam Mukunda, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of academy
Verb
  • Hensley was introduced to the fiddle early in life when her father taught her how to carve and play the instrument, according to local news outlet KY3.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • My Indigenous aunties on my dad’s side taught both her and my mother.
    — Kelly Ryan Kegans, Midwest Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of teach
Noun
  • This week brought me from Belgian Gothic seminaries to Victorian mansions, with a few aggressively average $4,700 apartments sprinkled among them to keep us grounded.
    — Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Dorsainvil, who attended seminary in Jamaica, said immigrant advocates are also affected by the end of the TPS humanitarian program.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of seminary
Verb
  • The American research university has earned an extraordinary degree of autonomy because society has historically trusted universities to pursue knowledge, educate citizens and serve the public good with integrity.
    — David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Universities educate the next generation of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.
    — H. Christopher Frey, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of educate

Phrases Containing school

Browse Nearby Words

scholastic
school
school bag
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Cite this Entry

“School.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/school. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on school

Nglish: Translation of school for Spanish Speakers

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