amateurs

noun

plural of amateur
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

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 amateurs Unlike every other film genre, the history of horror, at least since the 1950s, is a story of amateurs stumbling in the dark. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 That group included Koivun, who just over a year ago was on the winning Walker Cup team for amateurs. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 Alongside making bespoke shoes for private clients, the pair also run workshops and courses for amateurs and wannabe shoe-makers in their studio in the Oxo Tower on the Thames. — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026 Tens of thousands of amateurs follow suit, keen to ride the same roads. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 While not a common path for elite Japanese amateurs, bypassing the NPB draft would not be unprecedented. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 Contrary to perceptions, nonprofit workers aren’t well-meaning amateurs waiting for tech to save the day, but savvy operators with deep community knowledge and relationships that can’t simply be replicated. — Max Simkoff, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 The interior minister said that the operation did not appear to be the work of amateurs but rather had been professionally planned and executed. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 Trump’s two main envoys to Moscow, his friend Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, were amateurs in international diplomacy and proved unable to start a proper negotiating process. — Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateurs
  1. tinkerers
  2. beginners
  3. enthusiasts
  4. kids
  5. hobbyists
  6. novices
Noun
  • Volunteers, who can include enthusiastic tinkerers, bike repair gurus and experienced handymen, help repair flat tires, broken lamps and clothing.
    — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 3 Aug. 2026
  • In the coming months, the company plans to add more functionality and self-serve features to allow a wider range of use cases and users, eventually reaching individual tinkerers.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of tinkerers
Noun
  • The button placement is great for beginners and allows new users to start straight away before moving up to more advanced shooting.
    — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Designed for both beginners and die-hards, the 60-minute classes at the beautiful new reformer Pilates studio focus on core strength, alignment, flexibility, and balance.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginners
Noun
  • The boat show brings together sailing enthusiasts, prospective buyers and industry professionals to celebrate life on the water and explore the latest in sailing, the news release said.
    — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, a 2026 poll by Garage Gym Experiment, an online community for home fitness enthusiasts, found that 44% of respondents expected to spend at least $1,000 on their home gyms this year.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthusiasts
Noun
  • Everyone thinks their kids’ slang is ridiculous and their parents’ politics naive.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Guests with kids can stay in the main building and take advantage of the onsite restaurant and Kids Club (which people absolutely rave about) and those without children can escape to the Praia Collection.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of kids
Noun
  • The best jigsaw puzzles are the ones that challenge hobbyists and are worth framing when they’re done.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Submissions soon began pouring in from around the world, including everyone from career number theorists to hobbyists who may have had to look up what a Galois group was, with work powered by everything from AI to stubborn human brainpower.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of hobbyists
Noun
  • To capture some of that essence, Guitar Center is trying to make its stores a place to hang out for novices and pros alike.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The sizable number of offerings in every box can help bean novices get acquainted with new products and strengthen their bond with favorites.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of novices

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amateurism
amateurs
amatory
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Cite this Entry

“Amateurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateurs. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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