as in amateur
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession
the discussion about investing was geared more to the layman than to the professional investor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 layman
Ludacris praises Miller for his affable personality and his ability to explain things in layman’s terms.
—
Todd Longwell, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
In layman’s terms, this means that DEB uses plant sugars and natural enzymes to create biobased materials (such as biopolymers) in eco-friendly conditions.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Apr. 2025
Helping scientists and laymen alike To run a quantum simulation for a molecule, researchers have to determine the solute molecule’s geometry and the solvent molecules’ orientation.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2025
Cap teams up with fellow Avenger Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and new friend Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), an Air Force vet trained for aerial combat using what’s perhaps best described to a layman as a combination of wings and a jetpack.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layman
Todd Longwell, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
In layman’s terms, this means that DEB uses plant sugars and natural enzymes to create biobased materials (such as biopolymers) in eco-friendly conditions.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Apr. 2025
Helping scientists and laymen alike To run a quantum simulation for a molecule, researchers have to determine the solute molecule’s geometry and the solvent molecules’ orientation.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2025
Cap teams up with fellow Avenger Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and new friend Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), an Air Force vet trained for aerial combat using what’s perhaps best described to a layman as a combination of wings and a jetpack.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layman
amateur
Noun
-
Hitler—still two years from power—was dismissed as a dithering amateur, reliant on speeches, crowds, and parliamentary niceties.—
Thomas Meaney,
New Yorker,
2 July 2025
-
The contest arrives as AI becomes an increasingly popular tool for musicians from amateurs to professionals — more than 60 million people used AI software to create music in 2024, according to the International Music Summit’s 2025 Business Report.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Layman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layman. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share