bush-league

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of bush-leaguenext
: being of an inferior class or group of its kind : marked by a lack of sophistication or professionalism

bush league

2 of 2

noun

bush leaguer noun

Examples of bush-league in a Sentence

Adjective that's just a bush-league ploy to get cast on a TV reality show
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
With his arm almost out of bullets, Jason Hirsh discovered his second calling in a bush-league bullpen. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2026 While Chad is giving bush-league Sandler, the supporting characters are ripped from the playbook of Ted Lasso—another sports comedy based on a viral bit, not to mention a massively popular show whose title surely figured in the development of Chad Powers. Judy Berman, Time, 26 Sep. 2025 A lot of times, these bush-league but prolific lawbreakers basically got a warning, then another warning, then maybe a couple of months in county. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 The script constitutes a string of bush-league errors we’re not supposed to care about, starting with the audience getting way, way out ahead of the characters regarding who’s hiding what. Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1904, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bush-league was in 1896

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Cite this Entry

“Bush-league.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bush-league. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.

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