untrain
Undo learned behavior
To untrain is to undo previous training—removing learned behaviors, habits, or conditioning.
The word appears most often in machine learning contexts, where you might untrain a model to eliminate unwanted patterns: We had to untrain the algorithm's bias.
With people or animals, it suggests reversing ingrained responses: It took months to untrain the dog's aggression toward strangers.
Discard ingrained knowledge
- deprogramUndo psychological conditioning
- deconditionUndo prior training
- forgetFail to recall
- unteachCause to unlearn
unschool · overwrite · extinguish · desensitize · counterconditioning
Revert to bad habits
- relapseReturn to former illness
- deteriorateGrow worse over time
- atrophyWasting from disuse
- declineDecrease or refuse
Cease employment permanently
- withdrawRemove or pull away
- stand downWithdraw from readiness
- mothballAromatic insect repellent sphere
- demobilizeDisband military forces
take offline · phase out · deactivate · bench · sideline · discharge
unlearn
Discard ingrained knowledge
- deprogramUndo psychological conditioning
- deconditionUndo prior training
- forgetFail to recall
unteach · unschool · overwrite · extinguish · desensitize · counterconditioning
backslide
Revert to bad habits
- relapseReturn to former illness
- deteriorateGrow worse over time
- atrophyWasting from disuse
decline · rust · lapse · degrade · worsen · fall back · revert
retire
Cease employment permanently
- withdrawRemove or pull away
- stand downWithdraw from readiness
- mothballAromatic insect repellent sphere
demobilize · take offline · phase out · deactivate · bench · sideline · discharge
- letting goletting go, forgive, giving up, let go, relinquishing