1
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
an inexpert attempt at putting on an outdoor concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incompetent
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
the inexpert mechanic only made the problem worse—and charged me a fortune for doing it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
well-meaning but inexpert expressions of sympathy from friends after the funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in amateur
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science
the shoddy tiling in the bathroom was a sure sign that it was the work of an inexpert
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inexpert
Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 July 2025
The procedure is not without risk: The mortality rate from tellurium injections is 12 percent, and can rise as high as 68 percent for children when the work is performed by an inexpert hand.
—Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 2 Sep. 2022
Despite the exhibition’s dynamism and appreciated efforts to frame each work for the viewer, the accompanying wall text and political readings felt thin and inexpert at times.
—Dallas News, 6 May 2022
That’s not surprising: Conspiracy theorists often aim to ply the inexpert masses with plausible-sounding but inaccurate legalisms in order to sow confusion.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2021
The evening was a simple, completely inexpert exercise in apolitical comity.
—Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 6 June 2021
Adjective
Ariel Neuman, the lead attorney representing Tesla, vigorously objected to Rosario’s testimony, deeming it inexpert and irrelevant.
—Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 July 2025
The procedure is not without risk: The mortality rate from tellurium injections is 12 percent, and can rise as high as 68 percent for children when the work is performed by an inexpert hand.
—Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 2 Sep. 2022
Despite the exhibition’s dynamism and appreciated efforts to frame each work for the viewer, the accompanying wall text and political readings felt thin and inexpert at times.
—Dallas News, 6 May 2022
That’s not surprising: Conspiracy theorists often aim to ply the inexpert masses with plausible-sounding but inaccurate legalisms in order to sow confusion.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2021
The evening was a simple, completely inexpert exercise in apolitical comity.
—Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 6 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inexpert
Adjective
-
Another risk is infection from non-sterile equipment, which might happen if the procedure is done by inexperienced technicians or in non-medical settings, Hazan says.—
Erica Sweeney,
Time,
11 May 2026
-
The other strong selling point is that the inexperienced videographer doesn't have to fiddle with a load of settings before recording.—
David Szondy
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
She was found incompetent to stand trial in April 2026 and was ordered to a state hospital, the FBI said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
Last month, Rodriguez-Singh was found incompetent to stand trial on a capital murder charge in the death of her son, and she will be remanded to a state mental health facility until her competency can be restored.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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But less fine is Kreutzer’s decision to make Kühn’s own domestic challenges a parallel story, set up in clumsy counterpoint with Lucy’s.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
Salmonflies, however, are bigger and clumsier than smaller insects like mayflies.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Thanks to advanced performance technology, players are much better prepared for professional baseball coming out of the amateur ranks, and prospects have a much better chance of early success in the major leagues.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
One analyst even declared the kidnapping the work of a lone amateur despite having described it as a sophisticated group of abductors just a couple weeks earlier.—
Josh Campbell,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Still, coaches worked to make the best of unfit practice locations and engage unsettled kids.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
All this while the federal government’s main tool for regulating medical software, the Food and Drug Administration’s device-approval process, is structurally unfit for regulating autonomous clinical AI.—
Alon Bergman,
STAT,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
After her death, Riley read her diaries, an awkward experience at times.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
On-screen, Armitage’s portrayal of the socially awkward Sheldon has earned him critical acclaim.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Replit has broad reach across beginners, educators and enterprises alike.—
Rebecca Fannin,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
Tomatoes are a fairly easy fruit to plant and take care, especially for beginner gardeners.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Mix Materials The beauty in the unfitted kitchen aesthetic is found in its collected look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
-
The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.—
Daniel Akst,
WSJ,
2 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Inexpert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inexpert. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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