Meaning & use
lifelong learner
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A person who continues to learn new things throughout their life.
Grammar: Countable; can be used with 'a' or in the plural. Often used to describe a personal quality.
Patterns
- a lifelong learner
- become a lifelong learner
- describe oneself as a lifelong learner
She describes herself as a lifelong learner and takes online courses every year.
Being a lifelong learner helps you adapt to a changing job market.
The university aims to inspire students to become lifelong learners.
Word forms
| plural | lifelong learners |
|---|
Common combinations
- a lifelong learner
- He is a lifelong learner who reads at least one book a month.
- become a lifelong learner
- Many people become lifelong learners after retirement.
- develop as a lifelong learner
- The program helps students develop as lifelong learners.
- commit to being a lifelong learner
- She committed to being a lifelong learner and attended workshops regularly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- continuous learner
- Very similar, but 'lifelong learner' emphasizes learning throughout one's entire life, while 'continuous learner' focuses on ongoing learning without a specific time frame.
- self-learner
- Refers to someone who learns independently, often without formal instruction; a lifelong learner may also learn in formal settings.
Word family
- lifelong learning noun
- The practice of continuing to learn throughout life.
Commonly confused: lifelong learner or lifelong learning?
lifelong learner vs lifelong learning
'Lifelong learning' is the activity or concept; 'lifelong learner' is the person who does it.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lifelong learner' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses 'lifelong learner' to describe someone who continuously seeks knowledge. Option 1 is wrong because 'lifelong learner of the same subject' is unnatural; lifelong learning implies variety. Option 2 is wrong because 'learners of their hometown' doesn't make sense. Option 3 is grammatically incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lifelong learner”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.