variants
or schoolma'am
as in teacher
US, old-fashioned
a woman who teaches in a school in a small town or in the country
In the movie, she plays a doting schoolmarm in colonial New England.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of schoolmarm
University deans, schoolmarms and human resources managers penned dress codes outright forbidding the garment or relegating it to certain areas.
—
The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse.
—Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023
Then there’s Jeffrey Wright’s gung-ho military man, Matt Dillon’s bubbleheaded grease monkey, Steve Carell’s apologetic motel owner, Maya Hawke’s friendly schoolmarm, and Rupert Friend’s cowboy loverboy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
In the music video, Gavin plays the titular cheerleader who is smitten with a girl in the program; meanwhile, Bridgers plays the pink-haired schoolmarm in charge, while popular gay comedian Caleb Hearon plays a conflicted gay coach.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022
On hand to enforce the rules is an electronic schoolmarm called Lana, who resembles a Google Home under the influence of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
—Judy Berman, Time, 16 Apr. 2020
The October 2019 cover of Harper’s Bazaar featured Demi Moore dressed in Victorian schoolmarm wear, replete with knotted collar and wire-rimmed glasses.
—Cintra Wilson, The New York Review of Books, 11 Feb. 2020
These disingenuous characterizations — the zealous youngster and the wise schoolmarm — are trite.
—Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2019
All the the things people criticize her for — schoolmarm-ish, lecturing, dour, droning — are music to your ears.
—Jim Geraghty, National Review, 23 Sep. 2019
The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023
Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse.
—Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023
Then there’s Jeffrey Wright’s gung-ho military man, Matt Dillon’s bubbleheaded grease monkey, Steve Carell’s apologetic motel owner, Maya Hawke’s friendly schoolmarm, and Rupert Friend’s cowboy loverboy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
In the music video, Gavin plays the titular cheerleader who is smitten with a girl in the program; meanwhile, Bridgers plays the pink-haired schoolmarm in charge, while popular gay comedian Caleb Hearon plays a conflicted gay coach.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022
On hand to enforce the rules is an electronic schoolmarm called Lana, who resembles a Google Home under the influence of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
—Judy Berman, Time, 16 Apr. 2020
The October 2019 cover of Harper’s Bazaar featured Demi Moore dressed in Victorian schoolmarm wear, replete with knotted collar and wire-rimmed glasses.
—Cintra Wilson, The New York Review of Books, 11 Feb. 2020
These disingenuous characterizations — the zealous youngster and the wise schoolmarm — are trite.
—Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2019
All the the things people criticize her for — schoolmarm-ish, lecturing, dour, droning — are music to your ears.
—Jim Geraghty, National Review, 23 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schoolmarm
Noun
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When Chalamet, 29, appeared on the Academy Awards' red carpet on Sunday, March 2, Access Hollywood showed a video from Harry Shifman, Chalamet's drama teacher at New York City's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, to the A Complete Unknown actor.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
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According to the release, the awards recognize classroom teachers, administrators, teams, volunteers and school support personnel who have made what are described as lasting impacts on the students, families and fellow educators in their school communities.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There’s also murder and intrigue involving the secretary’s beautiful mistress, played by Sean Young.—
Martha Ross,
The Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2025
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In 1987, Hackman starred opposite Kevin Costner and Sean Young in Roger Donaldson's No Way Out, which finds his desperate government bigwig David Brice with blood on his hands after the accidental murder of his mistress.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This is largely because of its instructor, Aan Deesamer.—
Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
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Wilson, an instructor at Spelman College in Atlanta, was found dead the next day, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) previously told PEOPLE.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Schoolmarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schoolmarm. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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