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
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
-
The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026 -
Augusta’s reasoning was that running an amateur tournament helps grow the game and support the next generation of female golfers, and the club has a long history of supporting amateurs.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Steve Ponto said his daughter means well, but is inexperienced and especially passionate.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Messi went in as a halftime substitute in the 2-1 victory over Mauritania on March 27, a result against an inexperienced opponent that did not sit well with Scaloni.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Today, Christians observe Good Friday — a day when corrupt religious and political forces crucified Jesus of Nazareth as a common criminal on a rubbish heap outside the city walls of Jerusalem.—
Peter Cook,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
First there’s Phil Reizenstein, who, during a long career plumbing the depths of Magic City jurisprudence, has represented a former telenovela actor who killed a motorist in a road rage incident, as well as a DEA agent in an investigation into corrupt activities.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Choose from a big assortment of polish, gift sets, treatments and polish for kids.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The first generation of parents to have resorted, at least occasionally, to mollifying their children by putting digital screens in their hands has now seen those kids grow up.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But its conventional naval power looks severely degraded, while Western allies retain strong minesweeping capabilities that could be deployed to keep global trade flowing.—
Newsweek Editors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Drawing this degraded, sour crude is akin to pumping industrial poison through our midstream and downstream networks.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dermatologists say beginners need far fewer products than social media suggests — and the right basics can deliver real results.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Monstera is an easy plant to care for and is great for beginners.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The vlogger Jordan Cheyenne, for one, wrecked her sharenting career by accidentally posting footage of herself coaching her son, who was distraught over the family’s sick puppy, to make a specific kind of sad face for YouTube.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
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People without health insurance tend to seek less preventative treatment, become sick more frequently, and die younger than do people with insurance.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Jackleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jackleg. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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