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unprofessional

adjective
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un·​pro·​fes·​sion·​al | \ ˌən-prə-ˈfesh-nəl How to pronounce unprofessional (audio) , -ˈfe-shə-nᵊl \

Definition of unprofessional

: not exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, or generally businesslike manner in the workplace : not professional unprofessional attire unprofessional comments
Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about unprofessional

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Examples of unprofessional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Mike Scott, a forward on the 76ers and one of the many players who wore the headbands throughout last season said on Twitter on Friday that Nike was behind the move and claimed the gear was unprofessional. — Khadrice Rollins, SI.com, "NBA Bans Ninja-Style Tie Headbands Citing Safety Concerns," 9 Sep. 2019 For a black woman, having her natural hair perceived as beautiful means that her kinky curls are not an indication of her being unprofessional. — National Geographic, "The idea of beauty is always shifting. Today, it’s more inclusive than ever.," 7 Jan. 2020 Managers should use the holiday party as an opportunity to remind employees of the company's code of conduct and systems for reporting unprofessional behavior. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, "Corporate holiday parties are back — as is the booze — after #MeToo concerns," 29 Nov. 2019 The same study found that black women’s hair is three times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. — Sabrina Eaton, cleveland, "Rep. Marcia Fudge backs bill to ban discrimination against African-American hairstyles," 5 Dec. 2019 Anyone who has travelled through Nigerian land borders would be perplexed by how unprofessional the Nigerian officials are. — Stephen Onyeiwu, Quartz Africa, "Nigeria needs a competent customs service, not border closure," 28 Oct. 2019 The same officer was found to have been unprofessional by hugging and kissing a fellow officer while on duty. — oregonlive, "Portland police sergeant who lied about law to get protester to stop filming him suspended for one day," 2 Oct. 2019 The witnessing agent told them their behavior was unprofessional, the emails say. — Nick Valencia, CNN, "Border Patrol agents allegedly tried to shame a migrant by making him hold a sign reading 'I like men,' emails show," 4 July 2019 The suspension of a judge is rare, but Russell isn’t the only member of the judiciary to face sanctions for unprofessional conduct in recent years. — Washington Post, "Baltimore judge suspended without pay by Maryland Court of Appeals," 1 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unprofessional.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of unprofessional

1770, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for unprofessional

Time Traveler

The first known use of unprofessional was in 1770

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Statistics for unprofessional

Last Updated

20 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Unprofessional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprofessional. Accessed 23 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for unprofessional

unprofessional

adjective
How to pronounce unprofessional (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of unprofessional

: not having or showing the experience, skill, etc., that is expected or appropriate in a person who is trained to do a job well

See the full definition for unprofessional in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on unprofessional

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unprofessional

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with unprofessional

Spanish Central: Translation of unprofessional

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