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
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
Star Will Poulter is also understated, spending much of the film listening as nonprofessional actors tell real stories about their experiences with substance abuse in Union County.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
That much of the cast consists of nonprofessionals, including Annette Deao, a real-life rehab-program coordinator essentially playing herself in one of the film’s more notable roles, helps immeasurably.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonprofessional
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Adjective
Will Poulter, playing a young newcomer to the program, gives a superb performance; so do the nonprofessional actors cast as his comrades-in-recovery.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
Star Will Poulter is also understated, spending much of the film listening as nonprofessional actors tell real stories about their experiences with substance abuse in Union County.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
The nonprofessionals in the film certainly believe so.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
That much of the cast consists of nonprofessionals, including Annette Deao, a real-life rehab-program coordinator essentially playing herself in one of the film’s more notable roles, helps immeasurably.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonprofessional
Cite this Entry
“Nonprofessional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonprofessional. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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