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school

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verb

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
Pearl Miles, 29, loved going through her husband's school yearbooks and reading through the personal messages written by his classmates. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025 The American Red Cross is operating a shelter in a former school building for those affected. Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
This October, the three institutions will co-host a virtual conference that looks at disability access across the life span, from birth through adulthood, and from schooling to employment. Marybeth Gasman, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025 On Bill Veeck Night, the Sox were schooled that the late former owner came up with many crazy ideas, including the one for the exploding center-field scoreboard, which sets off fireworks after White Sox home runs. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for school
Recent Examples of Synonyms for school
Noun
  • After six seasons at United — spanning the men’s team, the academy, and most recently three years with the women’s team — kit manager Jon Humble has left to take up the same role at Liverpool.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Universities and academies formalized disciplines, research careers and standards of evidence.
    Christopher P. Scheitle, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Even though Lee continues to work on Barraza’s case, the 66-year-old no longer practices law full time and instead now primarily teaches environmental classes and lectures about climate change at Loyola University.
    Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
  • My family taught me all about Italian-American comfort food, and Ina taught me about American comfort food.
    Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The seminary’s enduring mission, like that of all great institutions of learning, is to cultivate the intellectual and ethical capacities of leaders prepared to confront the complexities of history.
    Brad Braxton, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
  • The seminary has not become an endangered species.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
    Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Dressed in baby blue matching shirts, the Milwaukee Beach Ambassadors have been working to educate Lake Michigan beachgoers on current and water conditions since 2021, an effort spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic.
    Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“School.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/school. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on school

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