amateurism

Definition of amateurismnext
as in amateurishness
a lack of the level of skill associated with an expert or professional the new defense secretary proceeded to criticize the amateurism of the nation's war effort up to that point

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 amateurism For roughly the past decade, a flood of litigation has chipped away at many long-standing rules governing college sports — from the tradition of amateurism to rules around transfers and who is eligible to compete at all. — Becky Sullivan, NPR, 28 Sep. 2026 Justice Clarence Thomas questioned the NCAA’s attorney, Seth Waxman, about why the NCAA believed amateurism rules were appropriate for athletes but not coaches. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026 But Wright’s case is also illustrating why the NCAA’s argument about amateurism is becoming harder to square with the economics of the modern college engine. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 What were once basic tenets — amateurism, transfers, years of eligibility — have been upended. — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 That spelled the end of the amateurism model so familiar for decades in college sports. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 Here and elsewhere, global scrutiny regarding environmental preservation has reached unprecedented levels, and there is less of a tolerence for the intuition or amateurism that, for decades, characterized certain segments of the industry. — Marcelo Assunção, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026 What struck Rigby Assad wasn’t the amateurism of the inquiry but its internal logic. — Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026 The rise of name, image and likeness has transformed college athletics, intensifying debate over amateurism for student-athletes. — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateurism
Noun
  • Their design was unpolished, even primitive, seemingly to convey a sense of slapdash amateurishness.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And the party’s inability to come together during the final week of the election is likely to haunt it well into the 2028 primary.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The eight-part season was left open ended after Alex ends it with Patrick, played by Rupert Friend after discovering a list of pros and cons, with the inability to have children as in the latter column.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amateurism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateurism. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!