Learn or Ascertain? Study Up On the Difference
⚡ Quick summary
Both learn and ascertain involve gaining knowledge, but ascertain implies taking steps to confirm or verify the truth or details of a matter.
The verbs learn and ascertain both involve gaining knowledge or finding something out, but how do you really know which one to use?
To ascertain something is to determine it with certainty. That’s right, the key idea of ascertain is right there in the word itself: certain(ty). The word comes from Middle French acertener, meaning “to make certain.” Contrasted with the verb learn, which can sometimes imply knowledge gained without much effort, ascertain suggests deliberate steps taken to confirm or verify the truth or particulars of a matter.
Perhaps because certainty is harder to come by, we commonly find ascertain used in constructions that showcase its absence, as in long-term effects that are difficult to ascertain.
Learn
To learn means to gain knowledge or understanding through study, instruction, or experience.
- The students will learn about constellations during their visit to the planetarium.
- The best way to learn a new language is to practice speaking it regularly.
Ascertain
To ascertain means to figure out something with certainty, usually through investigation or careful examination.
- The extent of damage was difficult to ascertain because of limited access to the area.
- The purpose of the survey was to ascertain whether the ad campaign had changed anyone’s mind.
