dilettantes

variants or dilettanti
plural of dilettante
1
as in amateurs
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

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2
as in scholars
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

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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 dilettantes Thinking otherwise is the mistake of amateurs and dilettantes. — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Packer and Srulovich aren’t dilettantes, either. — Lela London, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettantes
Noun
  • The London edition of Frieze, a longstanding highlight on the global art calendar that draws an annual pilgrimage of high-net-worth collectors, advisors, dealers, curators, institutional directors and amateurs to the British capital.
    — Mahoro Seward, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Investors follow, with professionals leading the way and amateurs jumping in later.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Rooney’s growing list of supporters includes scholars like Amitav Ghosh, Namwali Serpell, Naomi Klein, and Slavoj Zizek.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Nupedia was written and peer-reviewed by scholars, and was eventually supposed to make money from advertising.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • So while the new driver is here, even the most intrepid of OS tinkerers should tread carefully.
    — Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Long revered by Italian connoisseurs but little known elsewhere, Leoncillo is enjoying something of a revival.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Less heralded but still beloved by Alpine connoisseurs of a certain age is its successor, the A310.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dilettantes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettantes. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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