1
as in tinkerers
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginners
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 amateurs
Vitello, standing in front of a group of professionals instead of amateurs, told his team about his background, his origins.
—
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Olympics athletes, with rare exceptions like the basketball teams or hockey teams, or a Michael Phelps or Shaun White, are amateurs.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Only amateurs, another agent told me, would try to cut corners by using AI photos.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Aside from the New York Giants’ capitalizing on John Harbaugh’s sudden availability, the most memorable parts of this period will be owners behaving like amateurs in public and then defaulting to their callow and superficial hiring practices.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Some of the volunteers are also professional actors and dancers, but the vast majority of them are amateurs who, for one night only, will perform in front of a live audience of 60,000 in the stadium, and the hundreds of millions expected to tune in from around the world.
—Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
And, more broadly, what separates elite athletes from amateurs?
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Athletes are no longer amateurs, even in name.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 29 Jan. 2026
There are people that go hear electronica like Aphex Twin, Nicolas Jaar or Trentemøller and say techno is for amateurs.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Olympics athletes, with rare exceptions like the basketball teams or hockey teams, or a Michael Phelps or Shaun White, are amateurs.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Only amateurs, another agent told me, would try to cut corners by using AI photos.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Aside from the New York Giants’ capitalizing on John Harbaugh’s sudden availability, the most memorable parts of this period will be owners behaving like amateurs in public and then defaulting to their callow and superficial hiring practices.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Some of the volunteers are also professional actors and dancers, but the vast majority of them are amateurs who, for one night only, will perform in front of a live audience of 60,000 in the stadium, and the hundreds of millions expected to tune in from around the world.
—Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
And, more broadly, what separates elite athletes from amateurs?
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Athletes are no longer amateurs, even in name.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 29 Jan. 2026
There are people that go hear electronica like Aphex Twin, Nicolas Jaar or Trentemøller and say techno is for amateurs.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateurs
Noun
-
Rather than targeting end users, the company aims to empower developers, researchers, and tinkerers to create breakthrough humanoid applications without building full robots from scratch.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Dedicated sports engineers and tinkerers alike continue to fine tune specialized skate designs.—
Mark Hay,
Popular Science,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Her curious nature and gardening knowledge were accessible to beginners and experienced green thumbs across Southern California.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
While my group of beginners played on one half of the ice, across the ice was a league game at play among club members with less than five years of experience in the sport.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Additionally, for Midwest ski enthusiasts, Snowriver Mountain is part of the Legendary Pass, allowing access to Lutsen Mountains in Minnesota and Granite Peak in Wisconsin.—
Katy Spratte Joyce,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Modern perfume enthusiasts seek more than projection and volume.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On the heels of this case, the Washington Post reported that the American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the first major medical association to change their guidance on kids receiving transgender care.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
There’s a small but well-run kids’ club by Sharkey and George, where genuinely lovely people run craft sessions, puppet shows, and video gaming slots.—
Sarah Leigh Bannerman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Group of beginners, hobbyists and professionals who like to take and share photos.—
Staff Report,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Buyers include families, hobbyists, schools, and event organizers — people willing to pay for novelty, experimentation, or early access.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Phil and Renee Shafer are the owners of Cast + Clara Bell, a resource for both cast-iron novices and collectors.—
Kate Donovan,
Martha Stewart,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amateurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateurs. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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