100 Other Words for “Experience”

No.	Term	Definition
1.	Acquaintance	Familiarity gained by contact.
2.	Adventuring	Going on daring journeys.
3.	Apprenticeship	Training under a skilled mentor.
4.	Background	Personal history and circumstances.
5.	Baptism by fire	Harsh initiation under pressure.
6.	Benchmarking	Learning through comparison and standards.
7.	Brush with	Brief encounter with something.
8.	Case history	Recorded account of past events.
9.	Chronicle	Detailed record of events.
10.	Competence	Ability developed through practice.
11.	Contact	Direct encounter or interaction.
12.	Coursework	Structured study and practice.
13.	Craft	Skill refined through making.
14.	Cumulative learning	Knowledge built over time.
15.	Dealings	Interactions in business or life.
16.	Direct exposure	Firsthand contact with something.
17.	Discovery	Finding something through trying.
18.	Drill	Repeated practice to improve.
19.	Education	Learning through teaching and study.
20.	Encounter	Meeting or facing something.
21.	Engagement	Active involvement in an activity.
22.	Enlightenment	Deep understanding gained over time.
23.	Episode	Single event within a series.
24.	Event	Something that happens.
25.	Experimentation	Trying methods to learn outcomes.
26.	Expertise	High skill from long practice.
27.	Exploration	Investigating to learn firsthand.
28.	Exposure	Being subjected to something.
29.	Familiarity	Knowing through repeated contact.
30.	Fieldwork	Practical work in real settings.
31.	Firsthand knowledge	Knowledge from direct involvement.
32.	Formation	Development through shaping influences.
33.	Foundational training	Basic instruction and practice.
34.	Hands-on practice	Learning by doing tasks.
35.	Hard knocks	Lessons learned through hardship.
36.	Having been through it	Prior personal ordeal endured.
37.	History	Past events and developments.
38.	Immersion	Deep involvement in a setting.
39.	In-service training	Training while employed.
40.	Indoctrination	Intensive instruction shaping beliefs.
41.	Initiation	Entry marked by first trials.
42.	Insight	Clear understanding from reflection.
43.	Instruction	Teaching that imparts skills.
44.	Internship	Supervised practical work placement.
45.	Involvement	Participation in an activity.
46.	Journey	Progress through events and change.
47.	Know-how	Practical knowledge of how.
48.	Knowledge	Information learned or understood.
49.	Lab work	Practical experimentation in a lab.
50.	Learning	Gaining knowledge or skill.
51.	Life lessons	Wisdom gained from living.
52.	Lived reality	What one actually lives through.
53.	Lived time	Time as personally undergone.
54.	Lived truth	Truth confirmed by living it.
55.	Lived wisdom	Wisdom earned through living.
56.	Lore	Traditional knowledge from the past.
57.	Maturity	Growth from time and trials.
58.	Means of learning	Way of gaining understanding.
59.	Mentorship	Guidance from an experienced person.
60.	Milestone	Notable point in a journey.
61.	Moment	Brief period of occurrence.
62.	Narrative	Story of events as lived.
63.	Observation	Learning by watching carefully.
64.	On-the-job training	Learning while doing the job.
65.	Ordeal	Severe trial endured.
66.	Participation	Taking part in something.
67.	Past	What has already happened.
68.	Perception	Understanding formed from sensing.
69.	Personal history	Individual’s past events.
70.	Practice	Repeated doing to improve.
71.	Practicum	Supervised practical course work.
72.	Preparation	Readiness built through prior work.
73.	Professional seasoning	Polish gained with time working.
74.	Proficiency	Skilled performance from practice.
75.	Qualification	Capability proven by training.
76.	Real-world exposure	Contact with practical realities.
77.	Recollection	Memory of past events.
78.	Record	Documented account of events.
79.	Reflection	Thinking back to learn lessons.
80.	Rehearsal	Practice before actual performance.
81.	Rite of passage	Transition marked by a test.
82.	Rough schooling	Tough learning through adversity.
83.	Run-in	Brief, often tense encounter.
84.	Savoir-faire	Tactful, practiced ability.
85.	Schooling	Education and training received.
86.	Seasoning	Experience gained over time.
87.	Service	Work performed over a period.
88.	Skill	Ability developed by practice.
89.	Sojourn	Temporary stay that teaches.
90.	Story	Account of lived events.
91.	Study	Learning through reading and effort.
92.	Survival	Enduring and learning through danger.
93.	Tenure	Length of time in a role.
94.	Test	Trial that proves ability.
95.	Time served	Time spent working in a role.
96.	Track record	Proven history of performance.
97.	Training	Instruction to build skill.
98.	Trial	Difficult test or attempt.
99.	Tribulation	Great trouble endured.
100.	Tuition of life	Lessons taught by living.