unlearn

/ˌʌnˈlɜːn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnˈlɜːrn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈlərn How to pronounce unlearn (audio)/ (ame, mw)

unlearn — verb

  • unlearnpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • unlearnshe / she / it
  • unlearnedpast simple
  • unlearning-ing form
  • unlearntpast participle

1. to intentionally set aside a belief, skill, or habit you already have because it

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to intentionally set aside a belief, skill, or habit you already have because it is no longer useful, making room for a better approach

例句

Mei had to unlearn her nail-biting habit after she started working as a nurse.

After years of two-finger typing, Darius decided to unlearn that habit and learn touch-typing.

unlearn + [old technique] to make way for a new one

同義詞
  • forget

    does not require deliberate effort; can happen accidentally or naturally over time

  • abandon

    broader — can mean stopping a practice or belief without necessarily replacing it

  • drop

    informal; often used for quickly stopping a habit

反義詞
  • learn

    the direct opposite — acquiring knowledge or a skill instead of deliberately setting it aside

  • acquire

    to gain a new habit or skill, whereas unlearn means to remove an existing one

文法句型

unlearn + something (a habit, belief, skill, or way of thinking)

用法筆記

Object is typically a habit, skill, or mindset that the person has already acquired and wants to replace. Unlike 'forget', which can be accidental, 'unlearn' always implies deliberate, conscious effort.

常見錯誤

❌I accidentally unlearned my high school French after ten years.
✅I forgot my high school French after ten years.
💡'Unlearn' requires deliberate effort, not passive loss over time.