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Synonyms

trainee

American  
[trey-nee] / treɪˈni /

noun

  1. a person being trained, especially in a vocation; apprentice.

  2. an enlisted person undergoing military training. train.

trainee British  
/ treɪˈniː /

noun

    1. a person undergoing training

    2. ( as modifier )

      a trainee journalist
"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

Etymology

Origin of trainee

First recorded in 1840–50; train + -ee

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.

Alanah Thompson French said she applied for a job as a trainee lettings negotiator at haart in Nottingham in December.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

The convenience of modern life is “seductive,” writes Dr. Alex Curmi, a psychiatrist and trainee psychotherapist, for The Guardian.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026

A trainee train driver died and dozens of people were injured -- several seriously -- in that incident, which officials blamed on recent heavy rains in the northeastern region of Catalonia.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

“MB.Drive Assist Pro” sounds like a trainee position at a golf shop.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Aisles spilled over with every object a trainee would need.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

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.