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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jackleg
Adjective
-
Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 amateur draft is held virtually and limited to five rounds.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026 -
At its core, a musical note is a repeating vibration, says Mark van Raamsdonk, a physics professor at the University of British Columbia and an amateur jazz musician.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
This inexperienced crew of 20-somethings takes on unorthodox jobs to build their brand and pay rent.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Gay or not, Scott clearly is inexperienced with caring for bottoms.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
There's a corrupt deal happening at the biggest levels among the billionaire class to increase their wealth at the expense of many people are suffering greatly right now.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
-
The police are a corrupt institution.—
Grace Byron,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
In that year in the United States the number of lost kids had dropped to just over two per hundred.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The hotel is appropriate for kids, and, with a registration fee, 3–15-year-olds can participate in a Central Park day camp.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
-
Air force and air defenses The Revolutionary Air Force and Air Defense Force are widely regarded as the most degraded branch of Cuba’s military.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Then be sure to read our picks of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography, along with our beginner's guide to imaging the night sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
15 June 2026
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Most beginner DIYers should be able to handle this quick maintenance task.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Operation Wetback thus drew on a longer racial script that cast Mexican migrants as dirty, sick, and criminal.—
Cara A. Kinnally,
Time,
15 June 2026
-
If healthier people drop out of the risk pool, fewer people subsidize the people who get sick, Gidwani said.—
Andrew Jones,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Jackleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jackleg. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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