uneducated

adjective

un·​ed·​u·​cat·​ed ˌən-ˈe-jə-ˌkā-təd How to pronounce uneducated (audio)
: having or showing little or no formal schooling : not educated
Owing to my father being left an orphan at the age of six years, in poverty, and in a new country, he became a wholly uneducated man.Abraham Lincoln
an uneducated attitude

Examples of uneducated in a Sentence

a literary reference that could not be grasped by an uneducated person
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.
These consequences will not be limited to the poor, the uneducated or minority groups. Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Suddenly, your oldest is helping the youngest, or your toddler is excitedly explaining Santa to his woefully uneducated baby sister. Elizabeth Broadbent, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025 The Catholic Church openly collaborated with the Ustaše, whose support came largely from young men with rural, blue-collar, uneducated backgrounds. Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025 Still, despite the glut of legal graduates, his shift in focus was an unusual move for an ambitious young man in a country where farming is seen as a job for old, uneducated or poor people. Carmen Abd Ali, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uneducated

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of uneducated was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Uneducated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uneducated. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

uneducated

adjective
un·​ed·​u·​cat·​ed
ˌən-ˈej-ə-ˌkāt-əd
: seriously lacking in education and especially in formal schooling

More from Merriam-Webster on uneducated

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