dilettante 1 of 2

dilettante

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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
He will be called a fascist and a coward and a dilettante. The Editors, National Review, 31 Oct. 2024 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 See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettante
Adjective
  • The anime film follows an amateur sleuth with a penchant for the paranormal, who travels to the deep south to solve a string of murders that have awakened a vengeful Boo Hag spirit seeking justice.
    Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The whole thing is truly amateur.
    Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The deal gives Qualcomm direct access to the tinkerers, hobbyists and companies at the lowest levels of the robotics industry.
    Kif Leswing, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The tinkerer was a socialite and widow named Josephine Cochrane.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In recent months, as despotism intensified an increasing number of writers, scholars, and thinkers were declared foreign agents, and their books were taken off the shelves.
    Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Dozens of press freedom groups and more than 100 leading writers, journalists and scholars called for Guevara’s release from ICE detention.
    Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • By the way, Valera wasn’t the only inexperienced Guardian to make a pivotal play.
    Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Fleck said that type of at-the-line adjustment is atypical for such an inexperienced player; Lindsey was making only his fourth collegiate start.
    Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As Contenders connoisseurs know, this is an exclusive Deadline event designed for voting guild members.
    The Deadline Team, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
  • For wine connoisseurs who are interested in details about each wine, there’s a website that includes more information, including the region of origin and a brief history, along with the best food pairings.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Of course Swift’s legion of devotees would scoff at the notion that their heroine was anything but a pop goddess, their very own Glinda the Good Witch sent to comfort with lyrical poetry and aid crumpled hearts.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Then there’s the online fan call, where devotees get the chance to speak to their idols for a minute or two.
    Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dilettante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettante. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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