study 1 of 2

noun

ˈstə-dē How to pronounce study (audio)
Definition of studynext
1
as in investigation
a systematic search for the truth or facts about something conducted a study to determine the sleep needs of adolescents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in daydreaming
the state of being lost in thought found her staring at the fire in a deep study

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in consideration
a careful weighing of the reasons for or against something the idea is under study by the city council

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

study

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to research
to use the mind to acquire knowledge you'll have to study hard and learn all about the Revolutionary War in order to pass the history test

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to learn
to commit to memory having carefully studied the document, he could repeat what it said exactly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to debate
to give serious and careful thought to scientists who study the origin of the universe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb study differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of study are consider, contemplate, and weigh. While all these words mean "to think about in order to arrive at a judgment or decision," study implies sustained purposeful concentration and attention to details and minutiae.

study the plan closely

When might consider be a better fit than study?

The meanings of consider and study largely overlap; however, consider may suggest giving thought to in order to reach a suitable conclusion, opinion, or decision.

refused even to consider my proposal

When would contemplate be a good substitute for study?

The synonyms contemplate and study are sometimes interchangeable, but contemplate stresses focusing one's thoughts on something but does not imply coming to a conclusion or decision.

contemplate the consequences of refusing

When is weigh a more appropriate choice than study?

Although the words weigh and study have much in common, weigh implies attempting to reach the truth or arrive at a decision by balancing conflicting claims or evidence.

weigh the pros and cons of the case

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of study
Noun
Last year, the team presented results from a study of 16 people with a rare eye cancer whose tumors shrunk after receiving an experimental cell therapy. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026 The New Stanford Prison Experiment, Netflix’s take on a project that was always more convincing as improvisational theater than as scientific research, isn’t even television’s first crack at Zimbardo’s study. — Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
That money will fund a rat model of Jaxson’s gene mutation, which is expected to be studied at UT Southwestern next year. — Ciara McCarthy 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026 Texas, surprisingly, was the fourth-most regulated state in the nation with about 2,900 restrictions, possibly driven by its oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the largest in the nation, though researchers at the PPIC haven’t studied that issue. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for study
Recent Examples of Synonyms for study
  1. investigation
  2. daydreaming
  3. consideration
  4. research
  5. learn
  6. debate
  7. examination
  8. trance
Noun
  • Court records show that the investigation into the initial allegations was inconclusive.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Omar has denounced the investigations as a politically motivated conspiracy against her, and used it to urge supporters to donate to her reelection campaign.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigation
Noun
  • When your seatmate is leading a Q1 strategy session, staring out the window and daydreaming—one of the most distinct opportunities of flying—may seem like time wasted.
    — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Whereas, symptoms for women tend to be more internalized and subtle, such as with more quiet distractibility, daydreaming, disorganization, excessive talking and emotional dysregulation.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of daydreaming
Noun
  • OutKick has asked the WNBA to clarify its current requirements and enforcement, whether discipline is planned or under consideration, and whether teams have received instructions about being on the court.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But the public listing itself should not eliminate a company from consideration.
    — Chris Russo, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of consideration
Verb
  • All of that money will go toward researching ultra-rare genetic disorders like Jaxson’s in the hopes of one day finding a cure.
    — Ciara McCarthy October 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Students spent the semester examining the statewide propositions on the November ballot, researching their potential effects and compiling their findings into a 268-page report available online.
    — James Taylor, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of research
Verb
  • The Sun enters your 3rd House, beginning a month that favors learning, writing, conversations, local activity, and following questions farther than usual.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The foundation cites decades of research and learning showing that grantees with flexible, long-term funding were better prepared for the unexpected.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of learn
Verb
  • This month, the council held a nine-hour hearing to debate tax proposals, including the BAT, as the council attempts to mitigate budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2028.
    — Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • When Risch declined to debate, Achilles showed up to directly confront the incumbent at a limited public appearance in Boise, where Risch was set to speak at a 9/11 memorial event.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of debate
Noun
  • The national police are in possession of Thomas Markle’s computer, Philippines interior minister Jonvic Remulla told the outlet, to conduct a digital forensic examination.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Just as in his examination of Captain Sully or his exploration of parenting or an episode about cloned puppies, Fielder is uninterested in the technical realities or the concrete, easily provable facts.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of examination
Noun
  • But the factor that seems to unite everyone is a sense of repetition—no matter the style, writers will play the same songs over and over again to reach a kind of creative trance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The anniversary lineup brings together international club names, returning Pitch favorites and a large contingent of Australian artists across house, techno, breakbeat, jungle, trance and other corners of electronic music.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of trance

Phrases Containing study

Browse Nearby Words

studs
study
studying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Study.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/study. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All