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Definitions

tutelage

[toot-l-ij, tyoot-] / ˈtut l ɪdʒ, ˈtyut- /
NOUN
guardianship; teaching
Synonyms
STRONGEST
guidance
STRONG
apprenticeship care coaching custody drilling education instruction lesson preparation protection schooling supervision training
WEAK
tutoring
Antonyms
STRONG
ignorance

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for tutelage?
The word tutelage can refer to teaching (in a formal educational setting), instruction (in a context other than school), or guidance (more generally). If you say that you’re under someone’s tutelage, you could mean that that person is your teacher, your tutor, your mentor, or the person showing you how things are done in some setting, like a new job. Tutelage typically implies some form of teaching or instruction, regardless of whether it’s in an academic setting.
Is tutelage a common word?
Tutelage isn’t all that commonly used in general, but it’s not uncommon to hear it in some settings. It can sound a bit old-fashioned, especially when compared to synonyms like tutoring or instruction.
What's the difference between tutelage and tutoring?
Tutoring most commonly refers to one-on-one teaching that’s academic but outside of the classroom, such as with a private after-school tutor. Tutelage can be used to mean the same thing. For example, if you have a physics tutor, you could think of yourself as being under their tutelage. But tutelage is much more broad and can be used in other ways that tutoring usually isn’t, such as to refer to in-classroom teaching or non-academic instruction. Tutoring often (though not always) involves additional instruction on a subject that one needs help with. The word tutelage, on the other hand, often implies that the teaching being done is the primary form of instruction.
How do you use tutelage in a sentence?
Tutelage can be used in many different contexts, including academic and nonacademic ones. It’s commonly used in the phrase under (someone’s) tutelage. Here are some examples of tutelage in a sentence:
  • Under his mother’s tutelage, John became a master mechanic.
  • Thanks to your tutelage, I am now a qualified barista.
  • Thousands of students who have passed through these halls over the years have had the privilege of being under the tutelage of Mr. Carter.

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.

Morgan moved to Louisville, thinking he would eventually become CEO after several years of tutelage, with Taylor becoming executive chairman.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

“Understandably, many are willing to accept American tutelage as the price to pay.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2026

They responded in kind, producing an evolving and unparalleled music under his tutelage.

From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026

They could then be fertilized before journey’s end, and the babies raised “under the tutelage of cybernetic nurses who would teach them their inheritance and their destiny when they were capable of understanding it.”

From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025

Her life had always been strenuous—field work, internment, more field work on top of housework—but during this period under Mrs. Shigemura’s tutelage she had learned to compose herself in the face of it.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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