1
as in inexperienced
being such only for recreation
an amateur cabinetmaker, he derives immense satisfaction from finely crafting his own furniture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in amateurish
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
in every room there were amateur watercolors, apparently the work of the innkeeper's wife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tinkerer
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession
an amateur photographer who has won a number of photo contests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginner
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science
a homemade doghouse that looked like it was built by an amateur who hadn't mastered basic carpentry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of amateur
Apress, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Throw in the stakes — the lure of golf immortality (or at the very least, a healthy paycheck for making the cut) for the pros and the walk of a lifetime for amateurs like dentist turned qualifier Matt Vogt — and yeah, things can drag on a bit.
—Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
No amateur has captured the U.S. Open title since Johnny Goodman triumphed at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois, in 1933.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Over a span of 48 hours, 200 professional, amateur and student artists will use chalk to paint thousands of square feet of raw pavement into re-creations of masterpieces, modern art and their own original pieces during the Denver Chalk Art Festival in Denver’s Golden Triangle District.
—Laura Daily, Denver Post, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Noun
Hastings hangs around Justin Hastings shot a second straight 73 to become the lone amateur to make the cut.
—Apress, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Throw in the stakes — the lure of golf immortality (or at the very least, a healthy paycheck for making the cut) for the pros and the walk of a lifetime for amateurs like dentist turned qualifier Matt Vogt — and yeah, things can drag on a bit.
—Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
No amateur has captured the U.S. Open title since Johnny Goodman triumphed at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois, in 1933.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Over a span of 48 hours, 200 professional, amateur and student artists will use chalk to paint thousands of square feet of raw pavement into re-creations of masterpieces, modern art and their own original pieces during the Denver Chalk Art Festival in Denver’s Golden Triangle District.
—Laura Daily, Denver Post, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateur
Noun
-
Pad: Perfect for beginners and artists who enjoy painting plein air, pads of watercolor paper are a convenient, budget-friendly option.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 June 2025
-
Texas Hold’em Poker Lessons for Beginners Monday (weekly) from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. This beginner’s class is designed to teach the fundamentals of Texas Hold’em in a fun and engaging environment.—
Kris Slugg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
Again, avocational people being kind of ahead of the archaeological profession.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Feb. 2024
-
The avocational musicians rehearse three hours each Monday evening through the academic year, with two additional rehearsals during concert weeks.—
Beth Wood,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
The doctor will then train a hearing aid novice on how to insert, charge, and clean the aids and go over any lingering paperwork that needs to be dealt with.—
Christopher Null,
Wired News,
19 June 2025
-
June 18, 2025 Another member of the 6 a.m. group, Toni Clapp moved to Fort Lauderdale 12 years ago as a hockey novice.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Space tourism as a niche market Space tourism has its origins in 1986 with the launch of the Mir space station, which later became the first orbital platform to host nonprofessional astronauts.—
Betsy Pudliner,
The Conversation,
19 May 2025
-
That both Rios and Andrade are nonprofessional actors shows Soto’s command of the substance of his film.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
24 May 2025
Noun
-
The amount of time that kids and their parents right beside them spend watching Cocomelon and the rest of our product is enormous.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
18 June 2025
-
My kids are big fans of the show and had a couple of questions.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Eastern Flight 212 — which originated from Charleston, S.C., in 1974, and held many passengers from that city — is known to aviation enthusiasts for a couple of reasons.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2025
-
Winning wines often gain significant attention from collectors, retailers, and wine enthusiasts alike.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateur. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share