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amateur

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noun

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

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

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
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
  • Since the election, Reform has tried to refashion itself from a protest vote party to one that could govern – untried and inexperienced, but ready to step in if the Labour Party buckles under its own blunders, and the once-mighty Conservatives drift further into political irrelevance.
    Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
  • His emergence has enabled a talented, inexperienced team find its early identity.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 5 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
  • Instructors are on hand to teach novices.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 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, 5 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
  • 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
  • For decades, Popular Science has highlighted the work of hobbyists.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateur. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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