learn
Americanverb (used with object)
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to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience.
to learn French;
to learn to ski.
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to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain.
to learn the truth.
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to memorize.
He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
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to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire.
She learned patience from her father.
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(of a device or machine, especially a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
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Nonstandard. to instruct in; teach.
verb (used without object)
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to acquire knowledge or skill.
to learn rapidly.
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to become informed (usually followed byof ).
to learn of an accident.
verb
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(when tr, may take a clause as object) to gain knowledge of (something) or acquire skill in (some art or practice)
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(tr) to commit to memory
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(tr) to gain by experience, example, etc
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(intr; often foll by of or about) to become informed; know
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not_standard to teach
Usage
What are other ways to say learn?
To learn something is to acquire knowledge of it through study or experience. How does learn compare with discover, ascertain, and detect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have learnedperfect
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has learnedperfect 3rd person singular
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have learntperfect
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has learntperfect 3rd person singular
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have been learningperfect progressive
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are learningprogressive
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am learningprogressive 1st person singular
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learnssingular 3rd person
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is learningprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been learningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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learningparticiple
Past
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had learnedperfect
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had learntperfect
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was learningprogressive singular
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learntsimple
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were learningprogressive plural
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learnedparticiple
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had been learningperfect progressive
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learntparticiple
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learnedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of learn
First recorded before 900; Middle English lernen, Old English leornian “to learn, read, ponder” (cognate with German lernen ); akin to lesan “to glean” (cognate with German lesen “to read”). See lear
Explanation
To learn is to gain new knowledge or skills through study, practice or experience. You probably learn something every day. Whether you want to dance, understand chemistry, or know the alphabet backwards, you will have to learn. One of the most common ways to learn is through teachers and tutors, but people learn a lot from books, hobbies, jobs, and their families. Books and other reading material are a huge source of learning. Someone sent to prison learns they have to pay for their crime, but they might learn many things because they have plenty of time to read.
Vocabulary lists containing learn
President Obama's second inaugural address
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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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.
He identified that the Dutch approach was one the UK could learn from.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Gathered around him are a handful of coaches and more than a dozen teenage soccer players, eager to learn from a master.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
She quickly discovered that available pelvic models have hard plastic shells around the cervix where providers practice injecting; this prevents trainees from getting the necessary tactile feedback to learn where to inject.
From Slate • Jun. 7, 2026
Young bankers learn quickly that pants should have belt loops, watches shouldn’t be flashy and you never dress better than the boss.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
“Come on, Charlotte! If I can do it, so can you. Besides, if you’re going to grow up to be a badass like me, you’ve got to learn how to strut.”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
