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learn

[lurn] / lɜrn /




Usage

What are other ways to say learn? To learn is to add to one's knowledge or information: to learn a language. To ascertain is to verify facts by inquiry or analysis: to ascertain the truth about an event. To detect implies becoming aware of something that had been obscure, secret, or concealed: to detect a flaw in reasoning. The verb discover is used with objective clauses as a synonym of learn in order to suggest that the new information acquired is surprising to the learner: I discovered that she had been married before.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for learn?
To learn is to acquire knowledge of something through study and/or experience. The process of acquiring knowledge is called learning. To learn a subject or topic is to gain understanding of it—to grasp it. To learn a skill is to become proficient in it (and perhaps eventually to master it). In many cases, learning is the result of teaching. But learning isn’t always formal, like that done in school. We often learn things by teaching ourselves. Learning often involves working to understand something, but sometimes it happens almost automatically. The informal term pick up is sometimes used in the context of acquiring knowledge or skills in this way, such as through immersion, as in I picked up Italian when I spent two semesters in Rome. Another sense of learn (used in phrases like learn of and learn about) means to become or be made aware of something. This often involves hearing about or being informed about something, but sometimes it is more active. Synonyms for the more active sense include ascertain, detect, and discover.
What is another word for eager to learn?
Someone who is eager to learn often has a thirst for knowledge. Such a person is often inherently curious. Students who are eager to learn are often studious. A more general term is enthusiastic.
What is another word for a quick learner?
A quick or fast learner could be described as a quick study. You could describe such a person as having a quick mind or a ready grasp of something or, more informally, as having a mind like a sponge. Such a person could also be described as perceptive.
Is it learnt or learned?
Learned and learnt are both past tense forms of learn, but learned is far more common, especially in everyday speech.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He adds, "Moreover, sooner or later, there may be another coronavirus pandemic, which means we need to learn all the lessons we can from COVID-19 to be better prepared."

From Science Daily Aug. 16, 2026

“I was lucky to learn so much from my degree and found it helpful learning to juggle both university and getting the business off the ground.”

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 16, 2026

Investors must learn to live with uncertainty about any supplies from the Gulf even if an agreement on the strait eventually appears, Christopher Smart writes.

From Barron's Aug. 15, 2026

The University of Cambridge vice-chancellor Prof Deborah Prentice led the tributes, saying the faculty was "desperately saddened" to learn of his death.

From BBC Aug. 15, 2026

“You shouldn’t feel that way, Lexie. You’re overreacting again. We’d get along a lot better if you’d just learn to chill out.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

“Like millions of families facing cancer, we’ve learned what every patient learns: Hope has a face.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 4, 2026

I occasionally see Waymos in New York—but with a person in the driver’s seat, ostensibly able to intervene while the system learns the city’s challenges.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 4, 2026

The reader is an outside observer and learns about things in a realistic manner.

From Salon Jul. 28, 2026

The more Yoriko Kitagawa learns of a massive data centre to be built near her home in Hino on the outskirts of Tokyo, the more she worries.

From Barron's Jul. 17, 2026

After he learns to do that, it will be another whole step to make him see that fruit is not a thing he must rely on the hands of mankind for, but grows on trees.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

When to put the books down: He learned not to overintellectualize every decision.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 16, 2026

“I’ve learned you’re fighting against time,” Eboigbodin said.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 16, 2026

Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC’s “This Week” that morale aboard the Lincoln has improved since sailors learned they will finally be coming home.

From Salon Aug. 16, 2026

The students, at least, appear to have learned one useful lesson from them: Always check the source — even when the adults hand it to you.

From Salon Aug. 15, 2026

I learned something that day from Marlene, about friendship, and I have never forgotten it.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Diagnosed with autism, Arday had said he was non-verbal until age 11 and only learnt to read and write at 18, before becoming Cambridge's professor of sociology of education at 37.

From Barron's Aug. 15, 2026

In the wake of the announcement, Magyar said on Facebook that he had learnt of the alleged raid from Fidesz.

From Barron's Jul. 21, 2026

On Friday evening, Berlin state finance minister Stefan Evers was appointed to replace him as the CDU's lead candidate, AFP learnt from internal party sources.

From Barron's Jul. 10, 2026

He also learnt a new skill for the movie: "I did a lot of swordfighting, which I loved".

From BBC Jul. 8, 2026

Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?

From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling

The real reason is that the world is learning to live without using as much oil as it used to.

From MarketWatch Aug. 16, 2026

The back story: When Covid sent Yale students home in 2020, Chime and his co-founders decided to skip remote learning and build their company full time.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 16, 2026

Like the trail, it’s a place with steep learning curves.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 15, 2026

"I do think, or hope, that people are learning not to dismiss this very profound and long-lasting relationship so easily."

From BBC Aug. 15, 2026

It's been 150 years since his accident, yet we are still learning more about him.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman




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