as in knowledge
the understanding and information gained from being educated a scientist of impressive erudition but with a down-to-earth manner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the noun erudition differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of erudition are knowledge, learning, and scholarship. While all these words mean "what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind," erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

When might knowledge be a better fit than erudition?

While the synonyms knowledge and erudition are close in meaning, knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

When can learning be used instead of erudition?

The meanings of learning and erudition largely overlap; however, learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

When could scholarship be used to replace erudition?

In some situations, the words scholarship and erudition are roughly equivalent. However, scholarship implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation.

a work of first-rate literary scholarship

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 erudition Indeed, its tonal balance feels of a piece with the playwright’s personality—erudition and prudent attention to identity and representation leavened with irreverent nods to his throat chakra, The Artist’s Way, and teen soaps on The WB. Marley Marius, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2025 Decorated with frescoes, the complex draws inspiration from Greek culture, emphasizing themes of leisure and erudition. Fox News, 18 Jan. 2025 Not everyone’s complexity gets celebrated in its time as erudition. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025 Horowitz’s erudition, combined with his energy, is a powerful sales tool. Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for erudition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erudition
Noun
  • Advanced tools like knowledge graphs and digital twins now enable organizations to visualize access relationships and simulate risk scenarios.
    Leslie Milne, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Sitting behind the table was Lally Adler, a gardening aficionado with extensive knowledge of native plants.
    Madison Beveridge, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • As the alarm sounds on what could be a burgeoning literacy crisis, Newsweek spoke to the experts to find out more.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
  • The study suggests that AI literacy efforts should be enhanced to reach state schools and under-resourced classrooms.
    Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Virginia Tech was the first major school to offer him a scholarship in April 2013.
    Tim Casey, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Additionally, a scholarship at the school has been named after Lessa.
    David Chiu, People.com, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • The spending proposal lawmakers approved, negotiated among the Democratic House and Senate leaders and the governor’s office, deviates from Pritzker’s original plan in certain areas, including funding for elementary and secondary education.
    Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
  • But the problem is the quality of education that the students receive, when they are rushed through the pipeline, with no time to focus on themselves, solely concentrated on productivity and employability, to pay back their debt.
    Letters to the Editor, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • Understanding the machine learning models, data pipelines and decision logic behind these tools is essential for modern cybersecurity professionals.
    Dara Warn, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • The MySQL course provides practical instruction in building and managing databases, and the OpenAI course introduces the fundamentals of working with machine learning models and APIs.
    StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 30 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Erudition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erudition. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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