non·pro·fes·sion·al
ˌnän-prə-ˈfesh-nəl 
-ˈfe-shə-nᵊl
: not professional: such as
a
: not belonging to or trained in a particular profession
overtime pay for nonprofessional employees
nonprofessional jobs
b
: engaging in or practicing some craft or art without previous training or professional status : amateur
a nonprofessional actor
plural nonprofessionals
: a person who is not a professional: such as
a
: someone who does not belong to or possess training in a particular profession
the role of nonprofessionals in mental health care
b
: someone who engages in or practices some craft or art without previous training or professional status
a cooking class for nonprofessionals
a cast of mostly nonprofessionals
nonprofessionally
adverb
has been singing nonprofessionally for many years
Examples of nonprofessional in a Sentence
Adjective
racing stunts that nonprofessional drivers should not attempt to duplicate
didn't like the nonprofessional photos the modeling agency did for her
Noun
one need not be a legal professional to join the bar association; it is open to professionals and nonprofessionals alike
Recent Examples on the Web
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Those seeking advanced degrees in nonprofessional areas, such as history or philosophy, will be subject to an annual borrowing cap of $20,500 and a lifetime limit of $100,000.
—Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 11 July 2025
Laura Cappelle, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Pellington and Klein collected information and footage from bureaus around the world and showcased perspectives ranging from nonprofessionals sending in footage from camcorders to icons from art and literature like William S. Burroughs, Syd Mead, Jenny Holzer, and William Gibson.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonprofessional
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Adjective
This year, Friedman is celebrating 30 years as the music director of the Symphony of Oak Park River Forest, a nonprofessional orchestra in the western suburbs.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Those seeking advanced degrees in nonprofessional areas, such as history or philosophy, will be subject to an annual borrowing cap of $20,500 and a lifetime limit of $100,000.
—Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 11 July 2025
Noun
These nonprofessionals have become key to the emotional realism that Guiela Nguyen seeks.
—Laura Cappelle, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Pellington and Klein collected information and footage from bureaus around the world and showcased perspectives ranging from nonprofessionals sending in footage from camcorders to icons from art and literature like William S. Burroughs, Syd Mead, Jenny Holzer, and William Gibson.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonprofessional
Cite this Entry
“Nonprofessional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonprofessional. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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