: not expert : unskilled
inexpert noun
inexpertly
(ˌ)i-ˈnek-ˌspərt-lē How to pronounce inexpert (audio)
ˌi-nik-ˈspərt
adverb
inexpertness noun

Examples of inexpert in a Sentence

an inexpert attempt at putting on an outdoor concert the inexpert mechanic only made the problem worse—and charged me a fortune for doing it
Recent Examples on the Web Despite the exhibition’s dynamism and appreciated efforts to frame each work for the viewer, the accompanying wall text and political readings felt thin and inexpert at times. Dallas News, 6 May 2022 The procedure is not without risk: The mortality rate from tellurium injections is 12 percent, and can rise as high as 68 percent for children when the work is performed by an inexpert hand. Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 2 Sep. 2022 That’s not surprising: Conspiracy theorists often aim to ply the inexpert masses with plausible-sounding but inaccurate legalisms in order to sow confusion. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2021 The evening was a simple, completely inexpert exercise in apolitical comity. Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 6 June 2021 Brainy, mannered, dryly amused, ‘The Inheritance’ can appear willfully inexpert; the self-conscious acting feels both deliberate and the work of a director who hasn’t spent much time working with actors. Mark Olsen Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inexpert.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin inexpertus, from in- + expertus expert

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inexpert was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near inexpert

Cite this Entry

“Inexpert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inexpert. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inexpert

adjective
: not expert : unskilled
inexpertly adverb
inexpertness noun
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