how do i edit a pdf?

First the PDF must allow editing, since it is possible to protect the PDF from some or all changes.

Next what do you want to edit? There is the content of the PDF, form fields to fill-in or add, and comments/annotations that could be added. And if you have the Professional version, one can also Redact the content.

If you want to edit the content, the best approach is to edit the source document from which the PDF was created and use the program that created that PDF. There are many programs that can create a PDF besides Word. Adobe has Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. Once can convert CAD drawings using AutoCad and many image editing programs can export to PDF as well as many office suite programs.

To Edit form one uses the Prepare Form tool. For comments, annotations, stamps one uses the Comment tool. To edit the content one can use the "Edit" tool. All of these tools are available in the purchased Acrobat product. The free Reader product cannot edit PDFs unless one purchases some add-on service.

This is the PDF Forms forum. To confirm, are you trying to edit the form or the PDF itself? These are two different things with different answers.

Edit: PDF editor, edit text in PDF files | Adobe Acrobat DC

Convert to Word doc: Convert PDF to word doc, PDF to Word converter | Adobe Acrobat DC