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
Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
The incident occurred during Saturday’s third-tier Welsh match, which features teams with amateur and semi-professional status.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
For beginners and amateur anglers, walking into a tackle shop can feel like walking into a labyrinth.
—Francesca Krempa, Outside, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Adjective
Some estimates suggest that more than 3 million women have opened creator accounts on the amateur-pornography website OnlyFans.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
The incident occurred during Saturday’s third-tier Welsh match, which features teams with amateur and semi-professional status.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Noun
Major League Baseball’s new international amateur signing period opened on Thursday.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
For beginners and amateur anglers, walking into a tackle shop can feel like walking into a labyrinth.
—Francesca Krempa, Outside, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateur
Adjective
-
Local officials have grown increasingly wary of unprepared and inexperienced hikers setting out on some of the toughest peaks during perilous conditions.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Ryan, in his first season as the Trojans’ linebackers coach, was dealt a tough hand of mostly young, inexperienced players.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Blanc, who lived in Des Moines, Iowa, wasn’t the first tinkerer to try unclogging drains by running a cable through pipes.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Micron’s Crucial brand sold memory on sticks that tinkerers could use to build their own PCs or upgrade their laptops.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
And in Sun Valley, Idaho, learners practically have an entire mountain devoted to beginner runs while their more experienced friends and family rip over 2,500 skiable acres.—
Alison Fox,
Outside,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The terrain is mainly geared toward intermediate and advanced skiers, with 53 percent intermediate, 32 percent advanced, and 15 percent beginner runs.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Jan. 2026
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
-
This does include special plates, however there are a few plates which are exempt, such as antique, collector (not collector special), ex-prisoner of war (if issued with no registration fee), historic military, hobbyist and Medal of Honor.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Because of the fledgling nature of America’s domestic drone industry, the ban is likely to throttle the overall availability of cheap, cutting-edge drones and spike prices for American hobbyists, consumers and businesses in the next few years.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Both novices and longboarders hold high regard for this surfing mecca on account of its enticing long breakers, which provide hours of great wave riding.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Nursing left off the professional degree list Under the new law, the Department of Education created a classification system that distinguishes professional from nonprofessional graduate degrees.—
Kymberlee Montgomery,
The Conversation,
7 Jan. 2026
-
O’Leary isn’t the only nonprofessional in Marty Supreme’s sprawling cast, which includes rapper Tyler the Creator, real-life table-tennis champion Koto Kawaguchi, filmmaker Abel Ferrara, and supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This is a bold and unapologetic novel for edge-seekers, doom-scrollers, latchkey kids, horn-dogs and all those who love hard.—
Dan Sheehan,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Meanwhile, district officials say ICE continues to hang out around their schools — keeping kids, parents and staff on edge.—
Reg Chapman,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateur. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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