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
Through both instruction and practice, her once amateurish videos evolved into photojournalism.
—
Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The wildly amateurish performances turn the story’s tragic high points into moments of unintentional goofiness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
At times, Epstein characterized the billionaire’s office as sloppy and amateurish, exposing him to taxes and reputational risks while making sensitive payments.
—Tom Schoenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
But his manipulation skills are amateurish at best, and the fact that almost all of his plans go off without a hitch is pretty far-fetched.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The results can seem alternately astounding and amateurish.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
Those kinds of records—Talulah Gosh and Beat Happening—tended to the lo-fi and amateurish as a point of pride.
—Elizabeth Nelson, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The wildly amateurish performances turn the story’s tragic high points into moments of unintentional goofiness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
At times, Epstein characterized the billionaire’s office as sloppy and amateurish, exposing him to taxes and reputational risks while making sensitive payments.
—Tom Schoenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
But his manipulation skills are amateurish at best, and the fact that almost all of his plans go off without a hitch is pretty far-fetched.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The results can seem alternately astounding and amateurish.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
Those kinds of records—Talulah Gosh and Beat Happening—tended to the lo-fi and amateurish as a point of pride.
—Elizabeth Nelson, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateurish
Adjective
-
Instead, waiting until just before the candidate filing deadline is more amateur than a Little League game.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Friends from the amateur mixed martial arts community, including those at the gym where Munoz-Pederson had spent six evenings a week for the last six years, knew him as a lovable and helpful teammate, as well as a vigorous fighter few wanted to face across the ring.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pidgeon came in with a brunette bob, which, given the length of her natural hair, could be detected if left to inexperienced stylists.—
Kirbie Johnson,
Allure,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The roster is young and inexperienced — Sands is the only returning starter from last season — and the Tommies dealt with the predictable growing pains.—
Dean Spiros,
Twin Cities,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of the charges stem from the Pennsylvania Board of Vehicles Act for substantial misrepresentation of material facts in a vehicle sale, unprofessional conduct, and willful failure to display his dealership license.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Production assistants told Albuquerque police that Busfield was sometimes touchy or unprofessional.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amateurish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateurish. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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