learn
Americanverb (used with object)
-
learns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
learned,
past participle, past
-
learnt,
past participle, past
-
learning
present participle
-
to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience.
to learn French;
to learn to ski.
-
to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain.
to learn the truth.
-
to memorize.
He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
-
to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire.
She learned patience from her father.
-
(of a device or machine, especially a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
-
Nonstandard. to instruct in; teach.
verb (used without object)
-
learns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
learned,
past participle, past
-
learnt,
past participle, past
-
learning
present participle
-
to acquire knowledge or skill.
to learn rapidly.
-
to become informed (usually followed byof ).
to learn of an accident.
verb
-
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to gain knowledge of (something) or acquire skill in (some art or practice)
-
(tr) to commit to memory
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(tr) to gain by experience, example, etc
-
(intr; often foll by of or about) to become informed; know
-
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
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
learnsimple
-
learnssimple
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have learnedperfect
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have learntperfect
-
has learnedperfect
-
has learntperfect
-
am learningprogressive
-
are learningprogressive
-
is learningprogressive
-
have been learningperfect progressive
-
has been learningperfect progressive
Past
-
learnedsimple
-
learntsimple
-
had learnedperfect
-
had learntperfect
-
was learningprogressive
-
were learningprogressive
-
had been learningperfect progressive
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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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:
A Google spokeswoman said that studies show that AI tools paired with teacher-led instruction can help students learn more effectively.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
“I think there’s a lot to say about someone who may not have the skills, but is willing to learn and put in the work. That’s an amazing thing and he deserves it,” Carson added.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
Jasmine says her page really took off during Covid when people couldn't get professionals in so needed to learn to do jobs themselves.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
"It is now imperative to prepare for the leadership transition under the best possible conditions and to fully learn from the situation so that such unacceptable incidents cannot happen again," the person added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
After all, I’d been living around Mama for fourteen years; and a boy can learn a lot about his mama in that length of time.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Instead, “light a candle” and hope that he learns from the “embarrassment” of his failure.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Jo learns to her dismay that she might have to surrender her precious friendship bracelet, whose charms represent her history with Raissa.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
The mind learns that disconnecting can allow a person to get space from the sensations, emotions, or experiences that are painful or overwhelming.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
He said the smart eyewear would use AI to suggest things for people to do based on what the tech learns about their goals, relationships and routines.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
He learns more about where he’s living, too.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Aden Medina, 20, who worked as a supervisor for Parks and Recreation, said he was fired this month after the city learned he was coaching for the Little League.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
“We learned nothing from social media,” said Nataliya Kosmyna, a visiting researcher at Google with a doctorate in human-computer interactions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Three days on, the BBC has learned that one of the men who had been arrested had made the first 999 call.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Through his cellmate, Gershkovich learned the rules of Russian prison life, including how to perform various bodily functions in the cramped cell and how to comport himself with other inmates to stay safe.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
From observing and speaking with higher-class séance clients, Maggie had learned to carry herself well.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Over 15 days, they learnt to identify stars, planets and constellations, navigate the night sky, operate telescopes and photograph the Milky Way on their phones.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
On the intervening night of 8 and 9 June, Satish Salian was called by the police to a hospital where he learnt that his only child was dead.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Teasdale learnt both ballet and gymnastics to develop his footwork and skills in the ring and was seemingly set for stardom.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The Army says it is prioritising the training that has been informed by lessons learnt from the war in Ukraine, and is reviewing each request for training on a case-by-case basis.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
He had learnt to think of the painted surface as a piece of glass that you look through.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
“We undertake detailed public research and build our products in partnership with educators based on rigorous learning science, while giving teachers and administrators control,” Google said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
“They are learning to regurgitate whatever AI tells them,” the former middle-school teacher said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
“AI is completely transforming the research process,” Madigan said, and in teaching, “the holy grail of learning science has always been the personal tutor, and in many ways, here we are.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
He has been learning the basics, driving with his dad in fields and private yards for three years already.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Yet if the scientists let their emotions get in the way of learning from the volcano, then the missed opportunity—the chance to prevent harm to someone else in the future—would only add to the tragedy.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
