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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:

Open models publish their weights, or the numerical values that models learn during training.

From MarketWatch Jul. 24, 2026

Not only fans of those teams were anxious to learn his decision.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 24, 2026

Only after she spoke to Tottenham's disability co-ordinator did she learn the venue did not have Blue Badge parking as it was in a residential area.

From BBC Jul. 24, 2026

One can learn a lot by being taught what not to do, which appears to be one of Ms. Lam’s stealth instructional techniques.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

You explain the situation, that you’re trying to learn the same thing.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

At the hospital, Jack learns that the man behind the wheel was Governor George McRyan, a presidential hopeful polling extremely well in the primaries, who left a campaign event with Sally as his escort.

From Salon Jul. 4, 2026

In an interview with the Financial Times, the Turing Award winner lamented that, although "he learns fast," Wang has "no experience with research" and was on "a dead end" quest.

From Barron's Jul. 1, 2026

She said: "Integration isn't charity, it's common sense. A person who learns English or Welsh, finds work and contributes isn't actually a burden."

From BBC Jul. 1, 2026

So a company’s return-on-investment hinges on the rate at which that young employee learns.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 29, 2026

She learns surveillance techniques, performs backflips, and masters the removal of handcuffs and straitjackets.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

Five days later, she learned that her Global Entry had been revoked.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 24, 2026

“The relative calm in the S&P 500 suggests that investors have learned that geopolitical crises have usually been good buying opportunities,” he told clients in a note on Thursday.

From MarketWatch Jul. 24, 2026

The exact price being discussed couldn’t be learned, but some of the people said the business could fetch around $10 billion in a sale.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Earlier in the trial, Kwon told the court that she had only learned of her pregnancy seven months in, and sought abortion because she had no stable income.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2026

Rolf had learned the story from the sergeant at the night desk.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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

"No lessons have been learnt at Pentonville prison, no procedures have been put in place to prevent these deaths," said Saroj.

From BBC Jul. 9, 2026

Pizza Express held an internal inquiry into whether Andrew Mountbatten Windsor had visited its restaurant in Woking, BBC Newsnight has learnt.

From BBC Jul. 6, 2026

The room, which doubles as a kitchen and bedroom, was decorated with flowers drawn by Habiba's 11-year-old daughter, Nahida, who was practising English that she had learnt at the village school.

From Barron's Jul. 1, 2026

Names scattered in a gossip column, authors, artists, actors and their kind, even the mediocre ones, as long as she had learnt of them in print.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

After learning of Andrea’s ill-treatment, she began to blend elements of this domestic horror into her work.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 24, 2026

"You don't just learn that something is a planet; you immediately begin learning about its temperature, chemistry, and motion."

From Science Daily Jul. 23, 2026

But for those who thought the party would never end, you are learning a valuable lesson.

From MarketWatch Jul. 22, 2026

Isn’t that what playing high school sports is supposed to be about — learning lessons as a team that will prepare you for adulthood.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 21, 2026

In return he tried to make their lives comfortable, learning to cure their ills, treating their cuts and bruises as his mother treated his, combing burrs and prickles from their woolly coats.

From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda




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