unlearn
/ʌnˈlɝn/verb
unlearn is spelled U-N-L-E-A-R-N: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 56,108th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, unlearn means “To discard the knowledge of” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in unlearn?
| Letters | 7: U-N-L-E-A-R-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 4 million words; the 56,108th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is unlearn?
Unlearn appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 56,108th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce unlearn?
- UK /ʌnˈləːn/
- US /ʌnˈlɝn/
Unlearn has 2 syllables (counted from the pronunciation).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-unlearn.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with unlearn?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as unlearn from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹn/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of unlearn
- unlearns present, singular, he/she/it
- unlearning participle, present
- unlearned participle, past
- unlearnt participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does unlearn mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To discard the knowledge of.
- 2
To break a habit.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Unlearn in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to discard the knowledge of:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | désapprendre |
| German | verlernen |
| Portuguese | desaprender |
| Spanish | desaprender |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does unlearn come from?
From Middle English unlernen. By surface analysis, un- + learn.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).