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
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Recent Examples of amateur
Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Today, Kodachrome Basin State Park, located near the town of Cannonville, continues to draw both amateur and professional photographers alike.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
In my book, with a worthless doubleton in one suit, only an amateur would open one no-trump (even with 17 high-card points) unless his partner understood that such a bid might be to show HCPs only.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Adjective
And there was a smattering of other items, which the visitor, fancying himself an amateur academic archeologist, thought worth noting.
—Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Today, Kodachrome Basin State Park, located near the town of Cannonville, continues to draw both amateur and professional photographers alike.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
Touchdown / Call the amateurs and cut ’em from the team.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
In my book, with a worthless doubleton in one suit, only an amateur would open one no-trump (even with 17 high-card points) unless his partner understood that such a bid might be to show HCPs only.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateur
Adjective
-
Clearly frustrated, Palencia gave up five runs and recorded zero outs during the ninth inning of that 6-3 loss to the Washington Nationals, a last-place team with a largely inexperienced and nondescript lineup.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Having won five straight Ryder Cups and 12 of the last 13, the American team entered as the heavy favorite despite fielding a relatively inexperienced squad.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His uncle Leo, a naval engineer, noticed that his nephew was a budding tinkerer and gave him a Kodak photo-chemistry set for his sixth birthday.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
-
At $3,499, it is clearly not priced for small-scale tinkerers.—
Dave Altavilla,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Pace put different people through the paces of different things on different equipment and surfaces, ranging from some beginner movements to some rather acrobatic moves by a woman visiting from South Korea that looked a lot like gymnastics.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Resembling a minnow near the surface of the water, these rental boats come with easy instructions for beginners who are unfamiliar with how to operate the canal’s lock system along the way.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Again, avocational people being kind of ahead of the archaeological profession.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Feb. 2024
-
The Club’s motto, ‘Weaving spiders, come not here,’ conveys the Club’s character and purpose as a social, avocational organization.—
Wire Services,
Dallas News,
7 Apr. 2023
Noun
-
While the glory days have come and gone — and come and gone again — for Florida, most still see him as the king for a Gators program that was once just a novice to the national stage.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
-
For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This year, Friedman is celebrating 30 years as the music director of the Symphony of Oak Park River Forest, a nonprofessional orchestra in the western suburbs.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Those seeking advanced degrees in nonprofessional areas, such as history or philosophy, will be subject to an annual borrowing cap of $20,500 and a lifetime limit of $100,000.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Even hobbyists are investing in online classes for music, photography, or language learning.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This printer is designed for enthusiasts who want to experiment with multicolor projects, hobbyists who want a reliable machine that keeps up with complex designs, or professionals looking for affordable prototyping tools.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sign up now and be one of the cool kids.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
One of my kids once presented a bar graph showing that Taco Tuesday produces 40% more dirty dishes than any other night.—
Dr. Sue Varma,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateur. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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