dilettante 1 of 2

dilettante

2 of 2

noun

1
as in tinkerer
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession a dilettante at heart, she was never willing to commit the time and effort that ballet demands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in scholar
dated a person having a knowledgeable and fine appreciation of the arts she writes about art not from the point of view of an artist but from that of a committed dilettante

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun dilettante differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dilettante are amateur, dabbler, and tyro. While all these words mean "a person who follows a pursuit without attaining proficiency or professional status," dilettante may apply to the lover of an art rather than its skilled practitioner but usually implies elegant trifling in the arts and an absence of serious commitment.

had no patience for dilettantes

When would amateur be a good substitute for dilettante?

Although the words amateur and dilettante have much in common, amateur often applies to one practicing an art without mastery of its essentials; in sports it may also suggest not so much lack of skill but avoidance of direct remuneration.

a painting obviously done by an amateur
remained an amateur despite lucrative offers

When is it sensible to use dabbler instead of dilettante?

The words dabbler and dilettante are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dabbler suggests desultory habits of work and lack of persistence.

a dabbler who started novels but never finished them

Where would tyro be a reasonable alternative to dilettante?

The meanings of tyro and dilettante largely overlap; however, tyro implies inexperience often combined with audacity with resulting crudeness or blundering.

shows talent but is still a mere tyro

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 dilettante
Noun
Back in the 1930s, Cocteau was dubbed a dilettante. Harriet Quick, theweek, 17 July 2024 Bruce Wayne: To the public at large, Bruce Wayne is a shallow dilettante, apparently wasting his parents’ vast fortune on frivolous pursuits and hedonistic pleasures. Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 June 2024 Under the impression that Tom is good friends with his son, Dickie Greenleaf, a trust-fund dilettante who has decided to live in Italy to paint and dillydally instead of working with his father as planned, Mr. Greenleaf offers Tom money to go to Italy and convince the playboy to come home. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024 An even simpler reason is that Trump is a vain, distractible dilettante. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettante
Noun
  • Gaskins said the policy change benefits the city’s prospects for hosting major league professional and elite amateur teams in the future, and, at the same time, provides young residents and visitors with opportunities to participate in evening sports.
    Lee Igel, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • The annual amateur draft begins Sunday night with the first three rounds and continues on Monday with rounds 4-20.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • In addition to being a Sachs scholar, she was named a Gates Scholarship winner — a prestigious award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
    Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 12 July 2025
  • Robert Osborn, an early thinker on lawn tennis, was also a religious scholar.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • For real jewelry connoisseurs, an armoire, like the Hives and Honey Morgan Jewelry Armoire, is both spacious and stylish.
    Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2025
  • Here is how to read a label like a true connoisseur.
    Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • One thought of Madonna’s Eva Perón greeting devotees in Evita.
    Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 2 July 2025
  • Opener Jake Worthington, also a devotee of traditional country, showcased his own growing talent and potential for stardom.
    Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dilettante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettante. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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