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
Student groups protesting since mid-September through school blockades have urged supporters to join them. — Sylvie Corbet, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 Among them were a parent at her daughter’s school who recognized her on account of her voice alone and a dad on an airplane whose baby had been crying non-stop for over an hour. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
To that end, the Dolphins will school Willis on how to run and teach the players around him how to block for a running quarterback. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 The episode went viral and prompted debate about the growing presence of content creators at sporting events — and whether newcomers are being adequately schooled in tennis’ distinct etiquette. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for school
Recent Examples of Synonyms for school
  1. academy
  2. teach
  3. seminary
  4. educate
Noun
  • In Rally, at a hyper-competitive elite tennis academy, ambitious young players discover that the loneliest sport in the world demands sacrificing the very connections that might be the only thing that makes winning worth it.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • This includes — but is not limited to — nurses at state hospitals and prisons, cooks employed by the California Highway Patrol academy and counselors at the California School for the Deaf.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of academy
Verb
  • The company identifies Time-to-Skill—the time required to teach a robot a task and achieve reliable execution—as a key measure of progress.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Formerly, Christians were taught that greed--that is, the immoderate pursuit and love of money--was a sin.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of teach
Noun
  • The backstory Seminary Hill Catskills is named after the south-sloping hillside with stunning views of the Delaware River Valley where it's situated, home to a now-shuttered former seminary.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • One of his favorite artifacts is a Humber bicycle from 1889 or 1890, used when a Baptist seminary was in the community, which was founded as a Baptist temperance area.
    — Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of seminary
Verb
  • Their legacy lives on in our mission to connect, educate, mentor and champion talent at every stage of a career.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • On Tuesday, both the NBA and WNBA announced a responsible gaming campaign, partnering with National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to educate fans about sports betting risks.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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