Synonyms of amateur

amateur 1 of 2

adjective

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

• inexperienced
• avocational
• nonprofessional
• Sunday
• backyard
• amateurish
• unskilled
• unprofessional
• primitive
• unprepared
• naive
• self-taught
• untutored
• dilettante
• unschooled
• untrained
• weekend
• uninitiated
• jackleg
• part-time
• inexpert
• untaught
• unqualified

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

• inexperienced
• amateurish
• nonprofessional
• unskilled
• unprofessional
• inexpert
• dilettante
• dilettantish
• incompetent
• unskillful
• awkward
• unfinished
• new
• unprepared
• untrained
• untutored
• unschooled
• clumsy
• jackleg
• would-be
• uninitiated
• unqualified
• self-taught
• untaught
• primitive
• fresh
• unpolished
• beginning
• flawed
• entry-level
• defective
• ham-fisted
• untalented
• unfit
• unseasoned
• crude
• untried
• untested
• faulty
• green
• incapable
• ham-handed
• curbstone
• ungifted
• heavy-handed
• unable
• raw
• talentless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• professional
• expert
• skilled
• adept
• ace
• competent
• capable
• virtuoso
• talented
• able
• skillful
• master
• consummate
• virtuosic
• proficient
• masterly
• gifted
• masterful
• veteran
• seasoned
• experienced
• handsome
• accomplished
• dexterous
• qualified
• crackerjack
• taught
• knowledgeable
• prepared
• educated
• trained
• practiced
• initiated
• fitted
• schooled
• versatile
• versed
• habile
• polished
• ambidextrous
• finished
• slick
• tutored
• well-rounded
• all-around

amateur

2 of 2

noun

ˈa-mə-chər 

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

• tinkerer
• hobbyist
• potterer
• enthusiast
• layman
• dabbler
• fan
• nonexpert
• nonprofessional
• dilettante
• putterer
• generalist
• devotee
• jack-of-all-trades
• aficionado
• buff
• all-rounder
• general practitioner

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expert
• authority
• specialist
• professional
• pro

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

• beginner
• novice
• kid
• inexpert
• rookie
• newcomer
• freshman
• hacker
• hack
• trifler
• jackleg
• learner
• tyro
• greenhorn
• neophyte
• tenderfoot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expert
• master
• craftsman
• ace
• hand
• shark
• virtuoso
• past master
• veteran
• maestro
• adept
• wizard
• whiz
• crackerjack
• sharp
• vet
• old hand
• old-timer

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun amateur differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of amateur are dabbler, dilettante, and tyro. While all these words mean "a person who follows a pursuit without attaining proficiency or professional status," amateur often applies to one practicing an art without mastery of its essentials; in sports it may also suggest not so much lack of skill but avoidance of direct remuneration.

a painting obviously done by an amateur

remained an amateur despite lucrative offers

In what contexts can dabbler take the place of amateur?

While the synonyms dabbler and amateur are close in meaning, dabbler suggests desultory habits of work and lack of persistence.

a dabbler who started novels but never finished them

When is it sensible to use dilettante instead of amateur?

The words dilettante and amateur can be used in similar contexts, but dilettante may apply to the lover of an art rather than its skilled practitioner but usually implies elegant trifling in the arts and an absence of serious commitment.

had no patience for dilettantes

When might tyro be a better fit than amateur?

The words tyro and amateur are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tyro implies inexperience often combined with audacity with resulting crudeness or blundering.

shows talent but is still a mere tyro

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of amateur

Adjective

Moe’s grandfather and namesake was both a master slicer and an amateur magician. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

Qualifying for the major tournament is every amateur golfer’s dream. —Rick Maese, Washington Post, 7 June 2026

Noun

Asterisk Talley, a 17-year-old amateur from California’s Central Valley, shot a 66. —ABC News, 6 June 2026

The chain began in New York in 2017 and focused on group boxing classes and resistance training sessions, spanning difficulty levels from amateur to professional. —Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026