1
as in incompetent
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
an unskillful editor can be worse than none at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
some painfully unskillful playing by the band's guitarist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unskillful
It was intended to be a mockery of the way White people danced, though plantation owners often interpreted slaves' movements as unskillful attempts to be like them.
—
Scottie Andrew and Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 6 July 2020
As is often the case, Louie was unlucky — and also unskillful.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2017
Scottie Andrew and Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 6 July 2020
As is often the case, Louie was unlucky — and also unskillful.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskillful
Adjective
-
Anyone can file a petition in probate court in Florida seeking to declare an adult incompetent to handle their own affairs, though, typically, such petitions are submitted by family members worried their elderly relatives can no longer care for themselves.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
-
But Marshall can’t do it alone and teams up with his former high school lab partner Frances Applewhite (voiced by Emily Pendergast), who works for a sinking pharmaceutical company as the assistant to incompetent CEO Rick Kruger (voiced by executive producer Mike Judge).—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Kash Patel is set to become the latest of President Donald Trump‘s unfit and unqualified loyalists confirmed for a leadership role in Washington, with Senate Republicans ready and willing to install the QAnon promoter and 2020 election denier as the next director of the FBI.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Her letter, which was followed up by a social media post, was withering in making the case that Kennedy was unfit for the role and personal in detailing his struggles with drug addiction.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
In reference to Table 1, TRINA 1.0 was able to perform telemedicine and unskilled physical tasks.—
Kris Hauser,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 May 2020
-
Consecutive droughts in recent years have devastated livestock populations, forcing hundreds of thousands of herders to give up their traditional lifestyles and move, as unskilled workers, to sprawling towns.—
Mohamed Adow,
Foreign Affairs,
13 Apr. 2020
Adjective
-
Child and Dependent Care Credit: Provides a credit for a percentage of expenses paid for the care of qualifying individuals, such as children under 13 or a spouse or dependent who is incapable of self-care, to enable the taxpayer to work or look for work.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The apartment belongs to Booth, who doesn’t work and seems incapable of holding down a job.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unskillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskillful. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share