unskilled

adjective

un·​skilled ˌən-ˈskild 

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

Synonyms

• inexperienced
• amateur

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

Unfortunately, the rest of the roster is too big and unskilled, a downstream consequence of buying into the fiction that Davis is a power forward. —John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

Lane change issues, road debris or an unskilled driver are all quickly visible in the rear-view mirror with a tap on the accelerator. —James Raia, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025

For the unskilled makeup amateurs among us, the face-sculpting technique of contouring is a little too intimidating. —Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2025

When an unskilled injector offers up undereye filler, the more serious side effects can even include blindness or stroke. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unskilled

• redistilled
• semiskilled
• unfulfilled
• backfilled
• distilled
• fulfilled
• infilled
• instilled
• rebuild
• refilled
• unfilled
• untilled

Kids Definition

unskilled

adjective

un·​skilled ˌən-ˈskild 

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