# learned

/ˈɫɝnd/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/learned
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. past tense of learn

verb · CEFR A1 · American English

the past tense of 'learn', used when you have gained knowledge or a skill.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of 'learn'. While 'learnt' is common in British English, 'learned' is the standard form in American English.

- She learned how to drive a car during the summer holidays.
- Having learned the fundamentals of coding in primary school, the student found the university-level introductory course somewhat redundant.

### 2. highly educated

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describes a person who has studied a lot and has deep knowledge.

For teachers: possessing or demonstrating profound, often systematic, knowledge; erudite.

- The professor was a learned man who had written ten books on history.
- The conference featured several learned speakers who provided a comprehensive analysis of the geopolitical shifts in the region.

Usage: In this sense, the word is pronounced with two syllables: 'learn-ed'.

Teaching tip: Advise students that the two-syllable pronunciation is essential for the adjective sense to distinguish it from the one-syllable verb form.

### 3. legal profession

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a formal way to talk about a lawyer or a judge.

For teachers: a formal, courteous epithet used within legal contexts to refer to members of the bar or the bench.

- The lawyer addressed his learned friend across the courtroom.
- The judge noted that the learned counsel for the defence had failed to provide sufficient evidence for the motion.

Usage: Typically used in phrases like 'my learned friend' when one lawyer refers to another in court.

### 4. acquired behavior

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic

describes a behavior or skill that you get from experience, not something you are born with.

For teachers: describing a response or trait acquired through experience or conditioning rather than being innate.

- Fear of snakes is often a learned behavior rather than a natural one.
- Psychologists argue that many social anxieties are learned responses to early childhood environments rather than inherent personality traits.

## Examples

- I want to learn how to play the guitar.
- Students in the advanced biology course learn how to sequence DNA using modern laboratory equipment.
- While many people learn the basic rules of the game quickly, mastering the strategic depth required for professional competition takes years of dedicated practice and analysis.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.