unskilled

adjective

un·​skilled ˌən-ˈskild How to pronounce unskilled (audio)
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

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 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.
Fritz could acquire land near the city, hire both skilled and unskilled labor, and insert his new company in the trade and finance links the city had with the outside world, thanks to the social capital present in the city and his access to it. Peter Vanham, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2024 The researchers use a number of examples: the toolmaking done by our primate relatives, asking unskilled humans to make a stone tool, and random chipping of rocks. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 18 June 2024 While the industrialists did become richer at a faster rate than the average laborer, unskilled workers also experienced significant increases in wealth due to the industrial economy. Jacob Swartz, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024 With this drug in unskilled hands, this sleep was permanent. Katherine Harmon, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2011 See all Example Sentences for unskilled 

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unskilled was in 1559

Dictionary Entries Near unskilled

Cite this Entry

“Unskilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unskilled. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

unskilled

adjective
un·​skilled ˌən-ˈskild How to pronounce unskilled (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not skilled
especially : not skilled in a branch of work : lacking mechanical training
an unskilled worker
2
: not requiring skill
unskilled jobs
3
: marked by lack of skill
an unskilled painting

More from Merriam-Webster on unskilled

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!