unskilled

adjective un·skilled \ ˌən-ˈskild \

|Updated on: 8 Jul 2018

Examples: unskilled in a Sentence

Definition of unskilled

1 : not skilled in a branch of work : lacking technical training

an unskilled worker

2 : not requiring skill

unskilled jobs

3 : marked by lack of skill

produced unskilled poems

See unskilled defined for English-language learners

See unskilled defined for kids

Examples of unskilled in a Sentence

an unskilled handling of the facial features in the portrait explains why it is attributed to “school of Velázquez” and not to the master himself
hired unskilled workers because they would work for lower wages

Recent Examples of unskilled from the Web

These depictions of sea life are meticulous and earnest, if unskilled.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "New England museums to visit this summer and fall," 4 July 2018
What the two business owners have in common is their reliance on the H-2B visa program, which allows unskilled workers from Mexico, the Philippines, Jamaica and dozens of other countries to take temporary nonfarm jobs in the United States.

— patricia cohen, New York Times, "With Jobs to Fill, Businesses Play the Visa Lottery," 27 June 2018
Meanwhile, the American economy is in great need of young, unskilled workers.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "We Owe Central American Migrants Much More Than This," 21 June 2018
Further urbanization of unskilled workers may just shift them from agriculture to low-productivity sectors, the study said.

— mimi whitefield, miamiherald, "Why are Latin American and Caribbean cities less productive? Mayors in Miami to discuss," 11 June 2018
In unskilled hands, Clooney’s Prada number could have easily seemed sugary, but her understated style added the right touch of sophistication.

— janelle okwodu, Vogue, "Amal Clooney Does Barbie Girl Glamour the Grownup Way," 8 June 2018
Getting a job at a store or fast-food restaurant — often a way into the economy for an unskilled worker — used to be as simple as walking up and down the mall and applying.

— anne d'innocenzio, chicagotribune.com, "Need an entry-level job at a store? It can be harder now," 30 May 2018
But increased immigrant labor — from highly skilled to unskilled — may be an idea whose time has come.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Want to restrict immigration? Think again.," 30 Apr. 2018
Declining numbers of immigrant construction workers have sapped builders of unskilled labor.

— laura kusisto, WSJ, "The Next Housing Crisis: A Historic Shortage of New Homes," 18 Mar. 2018

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