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Synonyms

schooling

American  
[skoo-ling] / ˈsku lɪŋ /

noun

  1. the process of being taught in a school.

  2. instruction, education, or training, especially when received in a school.

  3. the act of teaching.

  4. Archaic. a reprimand.

schooling British  
/ ˈskuːlɪŋ /

noun

  1. education, esp when received at school

  2. the process of teaching or being taught in a school

  3. the training of an animal, esp of a horse for dressage

  4. an archaic word for reprimand

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonschooling noun
  • self-schooling adjective

Etymology

Origin of schooling

First recorded in 1400–50, schooling is from the late Middle English word scoling. See school 1, -ing 1

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.

She had little formal schooling, and at age 12 was sent out to be a hired girl, never to return home—or stop working—again.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

China also recently issued a guideline advancing child-friendly development more broadly, calling for improvements in schooling, medical care, travel, sports, and recreation.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Meanwhile, parents considering taking on these loans will have less room to use them to finance their kids’ schooling.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

Over 5,000 more pupils with EHCPs missed half or more of their schooling in 2024/25 than in the previous year, while the number of those without additional needs improved, the DfE says.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

After almost six months without schooling, my enthusiasm for learning had been dampened.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

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.