A person learns new skills, ideas, or information through study, practice, or experience. They may also be taught these things by someone else, such as in school or a class. People learn a lot of things throughout their lives, such as dancing or understanding chemistry, from hobbies and their jobs, and from their families and friends. They can also learn by reading, such as a book about astronomy or a murder mystery. They might even learn by doing, such as playing sports or taking an exercise class that challenges their fitness level and forces them to take risks.
Learning is a vital part of life, both good and bad. In some cases it means becoming more knowledgeable and enhancing one’s life, while in other instances it can mean learning negative behaviors that negatively impact health or happiness.
Synonyms for learn include discover, find out, ascertain, and discern. Discover hints at a surprise discovery or the uncovering of something previously unknown: to discover that she had been unfaithful. Ascertain and discern suggest a process of discovery or investigation: to ascertain the truth about her friend’s death; to discern that there was a flaw in his argument.
People often seek to learn for a variety of reasons, from increasing their social capital to counteract loneliness to improving physical well-being. Learning can also help people make more sense of their world and thus counteract boredom, as suggested by a theory that people become bored when their current state doesn’t match the expectations they have for it. Adding diversity to learning experiences helps to stimulate the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental areas of the brain, which release dopamine and promote happiness and wellbeing. learn