jackleg 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjak-ˌleg How to pronounce jackleg (audio)
Definition of jacklegnext
1
as in amateur
being such only for recreation a toolshed that can be built by any jackleg carpenter who's capable of hitting a nail without smashing his thumb

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2
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill he did such a jackleg installation of that door frame that now the door won't shut

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards a jackleg lawyer whose clients consist mainly of drug dealers and child molesters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jackleg

2 of 2

noun

as in kid
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science you can't rely on a bunch of jacklegs to run your dairy farm

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jackleg
  1. amateur
  2. inexperienced
  3. corrupt
  4. kid
  5. degraded
  6. beginner
  7. sick
Adjective
  • Nearly a third of the stocks held by amateur traders are also held by hedge funds and other quintessentially aggressive pros, a record share.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In the last few months, sea creatures such as whale and hammerhead sharks, devil rays, wahoos and other fish species have been seen by beachgoers and amateur anglers from Orange County to Malibu.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • The problem of absent or inexperienced ambassadors goes both ways.
    — Donald Heflin, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Officials are urging anyone spending time near the water to use a life jacket, especially children and inexperienced swimmers.
    — Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • Many Palestinians view it as corrupt and criticize its security cooperation with Israel.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Journalist Christiane Amanpour, who stepped out for the occasion in a red jacquard pantsuit by Derek Lam, echoed Clooney’s focus on providing protection for those relentlessly working to hold corrupt systems accountable.
    — Christie Grimm, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Noun
  • But that also ties some kids’ savings to a single company’s fortunes.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The kind of life admin tasks like swim lesson sign-ups and appointment confirmations that pile up with alarming frequency in a house of one preschool-age kid and two adults with full-time jobs.
    — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of kid
Adjective
  • Design choices previously thought to boost power, such as widening the gap between electrodes, actually degraded performance under true operating conditions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But detailed summaries of the punishments obtained by The New York Times provide the first look at how Cornell administrators apportioned blame for the alcohol and drug-fueled gathering that the woman has said left her shattered and degraded.
    — Sharon Otterman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of degraded
Noun
  • Nine out of 10 beginner guitarists are not playing one year after picking up the instrument, so catering to those newbies meant a lot of churn, Dalporto says.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Build a complete beginner kit with wax, wicks, vessels, labels, and other necessary supplies.
    — Ethan Stone October 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginner
Adjective
  • Along with missing guard Dru Smith (right calf strain) and two-way contract forward Keshad Johnson (right hamstring strain) for the second straight exhibition game, the Heat was also without guard Pelle Larsson (sick) on Thursday.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Two types of influenza — A and B — are responsible for the seasonal flu epidemics that make people sick, according to the California Department of Public Health.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sick
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.

Browse Nearby Words

jackknives
jackleg
jacklegs
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Cite this Entry

“Jackleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jackleg. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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