1
as in inexperienced
being such only for recreation
an amateur cabinetmaker, he derives immense satisfaction from finely crafting his own furniture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in amateurish
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
in every room there were amateur watercolors, apparently the work of the innkeeper's wife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tinkerer
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession
an amateur photographer who has won a number of photo contests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginner
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science
a homemade doghouse that looked like it was built by an amateur who hadn't mastered basic carpentry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of amateur
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
This is a shockingly scandalous choice for an amateur theater debut.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025
Attendees can learn how to maintain family collections from professional collectors and amateur archivists, and view rarely seen objects from the Natural History Museum.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Adjective
One was Van Wijnen, now a midfielder for Dutch amateur team VV Berkum.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
This is a shockingly scandalous choice for an amateur theater debut.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Olympians Chase Budinger, Taylor Crabb and Carli Lloyd will compete, and there are two teams made up of amateurs who went through qualifying rounds to participate.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025
Attendees can learn how to maintain family collections from professional collectors and amateur archivists, and view rarely seen objects from the Natural History Museum.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateur
Adjective
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Founders are often too eager to scale, or too inexperienced to evaluate talent, and the financial hit isn’t felt immediately.—
Anuradha Gupta,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
And finding a new commissioner would not only take months but may leave the West with an untried, inexperienced leader.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The tinkerer was a socialite and widow named Josephine Cochrane.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
His uncle Leo, a naval engineer, noticed that his nephew was a budding tinkerer and gave him a Kodak photo-chemistry set for his sixth birthday.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
NurPhoto via Getty Images Arizona’s Horseshoe Bend Trail is the second-best hiking trail for beginners, the InsureMyTrip study says.—
Gary Stoller,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
At Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, the 19 miles of challenging trails (ranging from the beginner-friendly Family Flow to experts-only Drop the Hammer, which includes a 12-foot plunge) aren’t the only attractions.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Again, avocational people being kind of ahead of the archaeological profession.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Feb. 2024
-
The Club’s motto, ‘Weaving spiders, come not here,’ conveys the Club’s character and purpose as a social, avocational organization.—
Wire Services,
Dallas News,
7 Apr. 2023
Noun
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Rent bikes and pedal a portion of the car-free Norwottuck Rail Trail, gentle enough for novice cyclists.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
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For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This year, Friedman is celebrating 30 years as the music director of the Symphony of Oak Park River Forest, a nonprofessional orchestra in the western suburbs.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
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Those seeking advanced degrees in nonprofessional areas, such as history or philosophy, will be subject to an annual borrowing cap of $20,500 and a lifetime limit of $100,000.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Most successful creators wind up using a mix of both, treating themselves less like hobbyists and more like one-person production studios.—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Moreover, the ubiquitous home improvement store is committed to teaching people how to build, fix and maintain, both at professional and hobbyist levels.—
Liz Ohanesian,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Your child isn't just competing with the kid next door for college admission or job opportunities.—
Jaime Catmull,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
And anxiety about our kids and our grandkids.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateur. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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