educate

verb

ed·​u·​cate ˈe-jə-ˌkāt 

educated; educating

transitive verb

1

a

: to provide schooling for

chose to educate their children at home

b

: to train by formal instruction and supervised practice especially in a skill, trade, or profession

2

a

: to develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically especially by instruction

b

: to provide with information : inform

educating themselves about changes in the industry

3

: to persuade or condition to feel, believe, or act in a desired way

educate the public to support our position

intransitive verb

: to educate a person or thing

Synonyms

• indoctrinate
• instruct
• lesson
• school
• teach
• train
• tutor

Choose the Right Synonym for educate

teach, instruct, educate, train, discipline, school mean to cause to acquire knowledge or skill.

teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

Examples of educate in a Sentence

Parents trust schools to educate their children.

The job of our public schools is to educate.

Recent Examples on the Web

By educating federal employees, diversifying portfolios, managing risks and planning for the long term, advisors can help clients make the most of this new investment option. —Rick Harbus, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

These raw and misguided opinions needed to be filtered through more informed and educated minds. —Joseph J. Ellis, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2024

Advertisement The couple initially started their foundation to educate children on the dangers of bullying. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

But the devout young Lewis, who famously preached to the chickens on his family’s land, was hungry to become educated and to involve himself in the civil rights struggle. —Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to rear, from Latin educatus, past participle of educare to rear, educate, from educere to lead forth — more at educe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing educate

• self-educate

Kids Definition

educate

verb

ed·​u·​cate ˈej-ə-ˌkāt 

educated; educating

1

: to provide schooling for

2

a

: to develop the mind and morals of especially by instruction

b

: train entry 2 sense 2a

educator

-ˌkāt-ər

noun