dilettantism

Definition of dilettantismnext
as in amateurism
a lack of the level of skill associated with an expert or professional no charge of dilettantism could ever be leveled at English physicist Henry Cavendish, whose immense wealth allowed him to devote his life to scientific pursuits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettantism
Noun
  • What were once basic tenets — amateurism, transfers, years of eligibility — have been upended.
    Seth Emerson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • That spelled the end of the amateurism model so familiar for decades in college sports.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Their design was unpolished, even primitive, seemingly to convey a sense of slapdash amateurishness.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Besides faulty lactose digestion, nonwhite bodies were accused of other failures, too, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, an inability to digest alcohol quickly.
    Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Officials said the steep terrain and the inability for the climbers to safely dismount prompted a helicopter rescue technician to be lowered to assist the first victim.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The archipelago has faced a drought that has led to severe water shortages in many cities, with government and agency incompetence (or worse, corruption) accused of worsening an already fraught crisis.
    Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026
  • That is inaccurate, not what the investigation covers, and viral posts on X are misleading people either through incompetence or purposefully misleading information.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dilettantism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettantism. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster