as in amateur
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
many dilettante efforts could be seen at the sidewalk art show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in amateurism
a lack of the level of skill associated with an expert or professional
no charge of dilettantism could ever be leveled at English physicist Henry Cavendish, whose immense wealth allowed him to devote his life to scientific pursuits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or dilettanti
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dilettante
Orlando Whitfield, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Him and all the other dilettantes who don’t know the wonders of VistaVision.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
Lela London, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Noun
Marinetti emerges as a kind of anarchic scout leader and André Breton, Surrealism’s founder, comes across as a work-shy dilettante.
—Orlando Whitfield, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Him and all the other dilettantes who don’t know the wonders of VistaVision.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
Packer and Srulovich aren’t dilettantes, either.
—Lela London, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettante
Adjective
-
Elsewhere, Chalamet and Okonma’s characters try their hand at sports gambling, cleaning up cash in an amateur tournament thanks to Marty’s talents.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The competition among amateur teenagers was ruthless.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Jokic didn’t overtake Jamal Murray as Denver’s leading scorer until their seventh game of the season, after a 33-point performance Wednesday against a Miami Heat frontcourt that was woefully undersized and inexperienced the instant Bam Adebayo exited with a foot injury.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Henderson has struggled in that role as a rookie, and Jennings is inexperienced at the pro level.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dilettante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettante. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
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