variants
or schoolma'am
as in teacher
US, old-fashioned
a woman who teaches in a school in a small town or in the country
In the movie, she plays a doting schoolmarm in colonial New England.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of schoolmarm
University deans, schoolmarms and human resources managers penned dress codes outright forbidding the garment or relegating it to certain areas.
—
The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse.
—Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023
Then there’s Jeffrey Wright’s gung-ho military man, Matt Dillon’s bubbleheaded grease monkey, Steve Carell’s apologetic motel owner, Maya Hawke’s friendly schoolmarm, and Rupert Friend’s cowboy loverboy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
In the music video, Gavin plays the titular cheerleader who is smitten with a girl in the program; meanwhile, Bridgers plays the pink-haired schoolmarm in charge, while popular gay comedian Caleb Hearon plays a conflicted gay coach.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022
On hand to enforce the rules is an electronic schoolmarm called Lana, who resembles a Google Home under the influence of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
—Judy Berman, Time, 16 Apr. 2020
The October 2019 cover of Harper’s Bazaar featured Demi Moore dressed in Victorian schoolmarm wear, replete with knotted collar and wire-rimmed glasses.
—Cintra Wilson, The New York Review of Books, 11 Feb. 2020
These disingenuous characterizations — the zealous youngster and the wise schoolmarm — are trite.
—Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2019
All the the things people criticize her for — schoolmarm-ish, lecturing, dour, droning — are music to your ears.
—Jim Geraghty, National Review, 23 Sep. 2019
The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse.
—Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023
Then there’s Jeffrey Wright’s gung-ho military man, Matt Dillon’s bubbleheaded grease monkey, Steve Carell’s apologetic motel owner, Maya Hawke’s friendly schoolmarm, and Rupert Friend’s cowboy loverboy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
In the music video, Gavin plays the titular cheerleader who is smitten with a girl in the program; meanwhile, Bridgers plays the pink-haired schoolmarm in charge, while popular gay comedian Caleb Hearon plays a conflicted gay coach.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022
On hand to enforce the rules is an electronic schoolmarm called Lana, who resembles a Google Home under the influence of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
—Judy Berman, Time, 16 Apr. 2020
The October 2019 cover of Harper’s Bazaar featured Demi Moore dressed in Victorian schoolmarm wear, replete with knotted collar and wire-rimmed glasses.
—Cintra Wilson, The New York Review of Books, 11 Feb. 2020
These disingenuous characterizations — the zealous youngster and the wise schoolmarm — are trite.
—Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2019
All the the things people criticize her for — schoolmarm-ish, lecturing, dour, droning — are music to your ears.
—Jim Geraghty, National Review, 23 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schoolmarm
Noun
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Natalia is currently studying for her GED, dreaming of one day becoming a teacher, People reports.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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President Barack Obama initiated his own education investments through creation of The Common Core State Standards Initiative, raising Pell Grant awards, reforming student loans, and retaining teachers through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009).—
Mallory Hutchings-Tryon / Made by History,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Amanda’s cause of death is determined to be strangulation, and the series soon presents other possible suspects: the older man Ebba was involved with and the husband of Harald’s mistress, Mira.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
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Any Vanderpump Rules fan will remember Ariana Maddix calling his mistress a dementor, so this reference feels particularly apt.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Swami Chandrasekaran, an A.I. expert and principal at KPMG, said the gains included using the software assistant as a kind of automated instructor to bring new members of a development team up to speed quickly.—
Steve Lohr,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
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Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, emphasized the necessity of implementing changes to ensure Social Security's viability for future generations.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Schoolmarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schoolmarm. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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