1
as in immature
lacking in adult experience or maturity
inexperienced teenagers who, naturally, thought they knew everything
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in amateur
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
an inexperienced carpenter had obviously built the rough-hewn cabin
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inexperienced
Raman, who had endorsed Bass’ reelection before throwing her hat in at the last minute, came off as inexperienced, touchy and unprepared.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
They were throttled from start to finish, giving a young and inexperienced Spurs team plenty of confidence that Monday’s loss was nothing more than a fluke.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 7 May 2026
The matchup against Toronto was a perfect first experience for the rookies, because the Tempo are also an inexperienced team working to establish a foundation as an expansion franchise.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
By then, Donohoe had seen a future college player in Gyllenborg and contacted then-Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl about his inexperienced prospect.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2026
Maybe the bright lights of a win-or-go-home playoff game proved too big of a moment for a young, inexperienced Hawks team.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
Early in the season, Johnson would have rather swallowed a Fiesta cascarone whole than play both of his inexperienced rookies at the same time.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Apr. 2026
Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.
—Mike Kaye
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
They were throttled from start to finish, giving a young and inexperienced Spurs team plenty of confidence that Monday’s loss was nothing more than a fluke.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 7 May 2026
The matchup against Toronto was a perfect first experience for the rookies, because the Tempo are also an inexperienced team working to establish a foundation as an expansion franchise.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
By then, Donohoe had seen a future college player in Gyllenborg and contacted then-Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl about his inexperienced prospect.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2026
Maybe the bright lights of a win-or-go-home playoff game proved too big of a moment for a young, inexperienced Hawks team.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
Early in the season, Johnson would have rather swallowed a Fiesta cascarone whole than play both of his inexperienced rookies at the same time.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Apr. 2026
Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.
—Mike Kaye
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inexperienced
Adjective
-
Only this week, Conway doubled down with a stunt in front of Mfume’s district office, an act that would be immature and juvenile in an elementary school student government election, let alone a campaign for Congress.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
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Faced with the prospect of deciding between Urlacher, a late bloomer in high school who almost wasn’t recruited before becoming a college All-American, and Michigan State receiver Plaxico Burress, regarded throughout the NFL as gifted but immature, the Bears did not have to choose.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The late stage of the investment cycle refers to the highly speculative period in which amateur buyers bid up securities, quietly offloaded by institutional investors, that precedes a downturn.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
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Louisville first baseman Tague Davis is making a late push for the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the top amateur baseball player in the nation.—
Mitch Light,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
For any adolescent, a private bedroom is both sanctuary and mood board.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Khan is associate program director for the child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship at University of California, Los Angeles.—
Sarah Mohiuddin,
STAT,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And there was going to be an awful lot of emotional resonance and relatability with today’s generation of young women with Mary Bennet, more so than there would be [with Elizabeth Bennet.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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Men are more positive than women, and young people much more positive than their parents.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inexperienced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inexperienced. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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