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
Him and all the other dilettantes who don’t know the wonders of VistaVision. Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettante
Adjective
  • In 1979, amateur archaeologists in Essex recovered multiple aircraft components, some of which were connected to Lowry’s plane and its crash site.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Throughout the film, del Toro flits and hovers between contradictory ideas, with the restlessness of the beautiful butterflies that Elizabeth, an amateur entomologist, likes to study.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The printer works best with its own software and accessories, which could frustrate tinkerers who prefer open systems.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Founded by engineers, designers, and lifelong tinkerers frustrated by the barriers to traditional CNC manufacturing, the company’s mission is to make powerful digital fabrication tools smarter, simpler, and more accessible.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Defense Priorities scholars argue that the cartels are being falsely equated with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, and warn of mission creep without clear objectives or legal justification.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • That call is all too real, according to Stephen Schwartz, an independent scholar who has extensively researched the history of America's nuclear command systems.
    Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But let’s face it, the Red Wings have looked a bit inexperienced at times so far, too.
    Max Bultman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The helmers cycle through a year’s worth of seasons for Zhenya and Anatolij Pilipenko, inexperienced farmers who envisioned a new life for themselves and their two young daughters.
    Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Claflin was not so much a connoisseur of Coben’s novels but couldn’t stop watching another one of his shows.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Such sets are great for wine connoisseurs or for parties that have to accommodate many people.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Culinary producer Mallary Santucci has been a Dansko devotee since her days working on the line in restaurants.
    Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Syrah devotees will enjoy fruit flavors, like black plum, cassis, and black raspberry, with touches of crushed violet petal and pencil lead in the finish.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dilettante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettante. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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