unprofessional

adjective

un·​pro·​fes·​sion·​al ˌən-prə-ˈfesh-nəl 

-ˈfe-shə-nᵊl

: not exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, or generally businesslike manner in the workplace : not professional

unprofessional attire

unprofessional comments

Synonyms

• amateur
• amateurish
• dilettante
• dilettantish
• inexperienced
• inexpert
• jackleg
• nonprofessional
• unskilled
• unskillful

Examples of unprofessional in a Sentence

an unprofessional carelessness about the accuracy of the news story

Recent Examples on the Web

Two common themes emerged: many aren’t sure of who the DA is or what the office does and, those who do know, view the DA as ineffective, unprofessional and, in many cases, incompetent. —Craig MacLellan, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025

Missing weight is still largely viewed as being unprofessional. —Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

For decades, historians have been working to provide the public with knowledge about our history grounded in hard facts, knowledge that the president’s order wrongly characterizes as the product of unprofessional bias. —James T. Kloppenberg, Time, 28 May 2025

Proctor sent a series of rude, lewd and unprofessional text messages about Read and the investigation, which led to his firing. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unprofessional

• nonprofessional
• preprofessional
• subprofessional
• compressional
• concessional
• confessional
• congressional
• obsessional
• processional
• professional
• recessional
• successional

Kids Definition

unprofessional

adjective

un·​pro·​fes·​sion·​al

ˌən-prə-ˈfesh-nəl,

-ən-ᵊl

: not professional

especially : not up to the standards of one's profession

unprofessionally

-ē

adverb