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Definitions

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:

The government said its new bursary would remove a barrier to young people taking on apprenticeships, allowing them to "earn and learn".

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

Therefore, we need to learn how to manage fires that creates their own wind -- this is something relatively new.

From Barron's Jul. 27, 2026

People make mistakes, but true leadership requires taking responsibility and admitting them so that we can all learn.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 26, 2026

It was better not to learn their names.

From Los Angeles Times May 29, 2026

His western suits, the Brilliantine in his hair, his buying the shop and letting me learn from Mr. Lew had all given me that impression.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

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

From Salon Jul. 28, 2026

“We’re talking about making films the traditional way using the talent that learns their craft either by doing shorts on YouTube, or doing things in a non-traditional manner.”

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 8, 2026

In New York’s Catskills, the cradle of American dry fly fishing, a total beginner learns the sport—and its history.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 7, 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

Celia has never spoken with either of the Burgess sisters at much length—Lainie is more talkative than Tara—and tonight she learns in greater detail the touches that they have put on the circus.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

"I soon learned that women across the UK were receiving treatments I had not been offered, and Northern Ireland was behind the times," she added.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

Once I learned what a roux was, I wanted every meal to have one.

From Salon Jul. 28, 2026

He learned guitar to play rhythm during his 2025 shows.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 28, 2026

Financial terms of the deal couldn’t be learned.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 27, 2026

Then a prison boredom—which I soon learned to fear above all else— settled over the cell.

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

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

He was so obsessed, his childhood friends even nicknamed him "Abdi America" after he learnt to speak English by watching Hollywood movies.

From BBC Jul. 2, 2026

“Back home in them mountains, I never learnt no reading.”

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

“It led me down a path of learning a lot about microplastics and endocrine disrupters and how bad they are for your health,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 29, 2026

McCreary sees new endeavors as a learning experience.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 28, 2026

The singer-songwriter Carly Simon says she has been diagnosed with Parkinson's and is "learning how to live" with the "sometimes frightening" condition.

From BBC Jul. 27, 2026

The time-restricted group also tended to make fewer mistakes on tests involving memory and learning, although that difference did not reach statistical significance.

From Science Daily Jul. 27, 2026

It’s what I had thought a dozen times myself, that I was lucky he was championing my work and my learning, that without Luc I could not have succeeded here.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse




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