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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
  • Amongst the crowd was Lee Brockhouse, 48, who also competes in amateur strongman events with a personal best of 455kg in the deadlift.
    — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The mystery comedy feature Defensive follows Clarence (McCartney), an overly aggressive basketball fanatic who assembles an unlikely team of amateur detectives to stop a corrupt businessman from destroying their beloved community center.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • The Holbrook sisters are undersocialized and inexperienced with the world, and Herzog sees them as figures out of a fable, dreamers who talk incessantly about love and seem connected to the elemental and the ancient.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When someone with 20 years of expertise is willing to look inexperienced for 20 minutes, everyone else gets permission to learn.
    — Pankaj Prasoon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • Fascism and communism are political systems designed to benefit society’s most inadequate and corrupt.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026
  • This is the most corrupt administration in the history of America, and what corruption really is is stealing from my constituents.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Noun
  • And suppose, additionally, that Haidt is also right, and that—for many kids—smartphones are deepening these problems and adding new ones.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Bakewell’s donations weren’t the only ones to pose issues for Brotherhood Crusade, which provides an array of services aimed at keeping kids from joining gangs.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of kid
Adjective
  • Energy analysts have consistently cautioned that raising Venezuelan output meaningfully will take years and billions of dollars in repairs to degraded infrastructure.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • That matters because degraded land is not simply an environmental concern.
    — Shooka Bidarian, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of degraded
Noun
  • And now, a beginner electronics kit has become one small part of a much larger local automation system.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
  • On sale for less than $100 right now, this Abu Garcia combo combines lightweight graphite with an intense grip to offer a rod and reel that works well for beginners and advanced casters alike.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of beginner
Adjective
  • As the years go by, babies are born, parents get sick and die, careers are started then ended, wives and husbands are thwarted, and, eventually, sheets are strewn and booties are tapped.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Last August, more than 360 people recently got sick after eating free MBG school lunches in Sragen, Central Java.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 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 11 Sep. 2026.

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