school 1 of 2

school

2 of 2

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
Kevin, the first to be accepted by Harvard, harbored the longest desire to attend the elite school. Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025 Holland said that the cooling infrastructure in many schools is outdated and needs an upgrade to keep up with the changing climate. Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 21 May 2025
Verb
But back to the task at hand: One trick to schooling yourself while keeping things fun is taking a tour — or a few of them. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025 As for Ware, there have been stretches where the need to get better - and get bigger - couldn’t be clearer, particularly when he was schooled by the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac during the recent 10-game losing streak. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for school
Recent Examples of Synonyms for school
Noun
  • But back in the Dinamo academy, another player was the star.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Muspratt had a summer apprenticeship with Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer academy for advanced music study.
    Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • The name is a riff on Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, from the X-Men, where Professor X teaches mutants, who are discriminated against by humans for being different, to control their powers.
    Sean Clancy, Arkansas Online, 22 May 2025
  • The methods taught in this class are inspired by Adler, Hagen, Meisner and Chekov.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Historically, popes have not been associated with any specific religious order, but instead have been former priests who've ascended the church's hierarchy from diocesan seminaries and parishes.
    Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 9 May 2025
  • Catholic seminaries and convents across Vietnam have also expanded in recent years, producing a bumper crop of young priests and nuns.
    Damien Cave, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The hands-on displays are designed to educate about teamwork, deduction, health care, coordination, agility and cognitive thinking, among others.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025
  • Many school districts pay private providers to educate students with special needs.
    Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 30 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“School.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/school. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on school

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!