as in amateur
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
that's an amateurish wallpapering job—the pattern doesn't match at the seams
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Recent Examples of amateurish
This annoyed Potter, who felt holding talks in such a public place was an amateurish move.
—
Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Bannon, for his part, slammed Kennedy's effectiveness as health secretary, calling his efforts to implement an anti-vaccine agenda unserious and amateurish.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Relations only continued to tank when, in 2020, American mercenaries attempted to overthrow the Venezuelan government in an amateurish scheme.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
People who understand the process of diplomacy think that this is very amateurish and is unlikely to yield real results that are enforceable.
—Donald Heflin, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2025
The looks are nearly all amateurish and awkward.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
That gives Easy’s Waltz a strangely amateurish vibe, as if Vince Vaughn and Al Pacino have somehow stumbled into someone’s student film.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Bannon, for his part, slammed Kennedy's effectiveness as health secretary, calling his efforts to implement an anti-vaccine agenda unserious and amateurish.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Relations only continued to tank when, in 2020, American mercenaries attempted to overthrow the Venezuelan government in an amateurish scheme.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
People who understand the process of diplomacy think that this is very amateurish and is unlikely to yield real results that are enforceable.
—Donald Heflin, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2025
The looks are nearly all amateurish and awkward.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
That gives Easy’s Waltz a strangely amateurish vibe, as if Vince Vaughn and Al Pacino have somehow stumbled into someone’s student film.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateurish
Adjective
-
The anime film follows an amateur sleuth with a penchant for the paranormal, who travels to the deep south to solve a string of murders that have awakened a vengeful Boo Hag spirit seeking justice.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The whole thing is truly amateur.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
By the way, Valera wasn’t the only inexperienced Guardian to make a pivotal play.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Fleck said that type of at-the-line adjustment is atypical for such an inexperienced player; Lindsey was making only his fourth collegiate start.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Very unprofessional and very very childish.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
-
What feels casual for some might feel unprofessional—or even uncomfortable—for others.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Amateurish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateurish. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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