train 1 of 2

noun

ˈtrān How to pronounce train (audio)
Definition of trainnext
1
as in entourage
a body of employees or servants who accompany and wait on a person a movie star who never goes anywhere without a train of personal assistants to cater to his every whim and need

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in fleet
a group of vehicles traveling together or under one management a train of supply trucks making its way to the army encampment

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in queue
a series of persons or things arranged one behind another already a long train of ticket buyers waiting outside the stadium

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in sequence
a series of things linked together you've broken my train of thought—now what were we talking about?

Synonyms & Similar Words

train

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to prepare
to bring to a proper or desired state of fitness has been training track-and-field athletes at the school for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to teach
to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field will train the students in good study habits

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to focus
to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective train all your thoughts on imagining how you'd score the winning goal in the game

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4
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal trained his eyes on the distant bull's-eye

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to equip
to make competent (as by training, skill, or ability) for a particular office or function he's so experienced that they usually use him to train new recruits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word train different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of train are discipline, educate, instruct, school, and teach. While all these words mean "to cause to acquire knowledge or skill," train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

When is discipline a more appropriate choice than train?

While the synonyms discipline and train are close in meaning, discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

When could educate be used to replace train?

In some situations, the words educate and train are roughly equivalent. However, educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

When is it sensible to use instruct instead of train?

The synonyms instruct and train are sometimes interchangeable, but instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

Where would school be a reasonable alternative to train?

While in some cases nearly identical to train, school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

When might teach be a better fit than train?

Although the words teach and train have much in common, teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

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 train
Noun
For access to the barn and playground, as well, tickets are $13 online or $15 per person at the gate on the weekend (including a cow train and wagon ride) and weekdays are $10 online or $12 per person at the gate. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2025 The train also struck several pieces of filming equipment and props left on the track, injuring six other crew members. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
And what assurance shall there be that the Executive will not train its broad discretionary powers upon its political enemies? —Time Staff, Time, 18 Apr. 2025 With his back against the wall, Cameron accepts an offer from championship quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) to train at his isolated compound. —EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for train
Recent Examples of Synonyms for train
  1. entourage
  2. fleet
  3. queue
  4. sequence
  5. teach
  6. focus
  7. aim
  8. equip
Noun
  • When the service ended, one woman ran after the president’s entourage sobbing and demanding accountability.
    — Frances Robles, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Additionally, the rosin extraction process preserves the delicate terpenes that contribute to the entourage effect, enhancing the overall experience for consumers. hometownhero.com Market Trends and Consumer Preferences The demand for solventless concentrates has seen a notable increase.
    — Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of entourage
Noun
  • The line’s new U.S. flagship – designed with American guests in mind – is home to the largest Yacht Club in the line’s fleet.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Manhattan Beer employees supply bars, restaurants, delis and groceries throughout New York City, Westchester, Long Island and the Hudson Valley with beer, wine and cider with their fleet of 350 trucks.
    — Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of fleet
Noun
  • The most important thing is still the queue. 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.
    — Catherine Baab, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Touching on the popular nature of her work, Hendry brushes past the topic of queues.
    — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of queue
Noun
  • In just one transporting sequence that’s almost too much to take in, Coogler traces a line from the blues of the 1930s back to its origins and forward to its influences on funk and beyond.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Colossal managed to resurrect it by editing snippets of the gray wolf’s gene sequence that were most divergent between the two related species.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of sequence
Verb
  • More than a decade on, the So Kates have become such a fixture in Zendaya’s wardrobe that even her employers, Louis Vuitton and Valentino, have been taught to expect no less.
    — Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Indian women are taught by their mothers and grandmothers to massage oils into their hair from a young age.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of teach
Verb
  • Millennials and younger generations are focused on value, Rotem said.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Reaction to those cuts has focused understandably on the hundreds of thousands of civil servants who have lost their jobs or are on the verge of doing so and the harm that millions of people could suffer as a result of the shuttering of aid programs.
    — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of focus
Verb
  • The Culture community aimed at creating equitable business pathways for Black and Brown professionals.
    — Brianne Garrett, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, theoretically aimed at matching the fees other countries charge for U.S. shipments to their countries, included a minimum 10% fee and additional charges of up to 50% on more than 50 nations.
    — Paul Davidson, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of aim
Verb
  • The factory is equipped with intelligent systems that streamline production while maintaining standards.
    — Lauren Carpenter, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The company's Jaguar I-Pace all-electric cars are equipped with sensors and cameras that provide a 360-degree vision system and can identify important details like pedestrians and stop signs.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of equip

Phrases Containing train

Browse Nearby Words

trails
train
trainability
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Cite this Entry

“Train.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/train. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on train

Nglish: Translation of train for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about train

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