untrained

adjective

un·​trained ˌən-ˈtrānd How to pronounce untrained (audio)
Synonyms of untrainednext
1
: not trained: such as
a
: not made adept or expert by instruction or experience
an untrained journalist
untrained in the use of firearms
b
: not taught by discipline to conform to certain behaviors
an untrained dog
2
: not based on training or knowledge : inexpert
an untrained diagnosis
To the untrained eye, many wetlands can be deceiving, particularly during drier times of year.Kathleen Rude

Examples of untrained in a Sentence

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.
Merlin pointed to a recent shift to reliance on untrained claims adjusters at State Farm and to changes in the company’s policy language and leadership. J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026 Others take on last-minute babysitting gigs for friends and feel their pulses quicken when someone calls in distress—reactions that might look, to the untrained eye, like ordinary kindness. Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026 Bears tend to look a lot alike to people, and untrained observers can have a very hard time telling them apart. Emily Wanderer, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2026 About four months ago, Waffles was a wild, untrained horse. Chris Torres, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for untrained

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of untrained was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Untrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/untrained. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on untrained

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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