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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
  • Millions of amateur athletes play tackle football each year, and as evidence mounts at the professional level of the dangers of CTE, parents are increasingly worried about their children going into the sport.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the 1950s, Longwood started hosting evening lectures and short courses that thousands of amateur and professional horticulturists have attended over the past several decades.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • With Delane back, the Chiefs shut down Achane as Mahomes and company roll against a young and inexperienced defense.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The Miami Dolphins have activated the most experienced, and most inexperienced pass rushers on the roster to address the absence of Chop Robinson for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • Many choose to make use of a corrupt brokerage system, where people with connections in the foreign ministry and other regime appendages facilitate large bribes for new, and sometimes fake, documentation.
    — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026
  • But already the thought tugged at me that the scales that had turned were not celestial, but legal, the workings of the same system condemned in the camp as corrupt and broken.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Noun
  • The beach is right there for swimming and paddleboarding when the surf is calm, and the trails through the dunes are manageable for kids old enough to walk them without being carried.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • As a kid, his mother would drop him off at Southwick Country Club in Massachusetts on summer mornings on her way to work.
    — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of kid
Adjective
  • Her organization supplies useful trees, restores degraded land while improving biodiversity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The hospital treats about 175 major pediatric spine cases per year, sparing patients from pain, and in some advanced cases, degraded lung function.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of degraded
Noun
  • At a beginner’s mahjong night at a local bar, tables largely full of young professionals engaged in friendly competition over Hong Kong-style sets as Chang emceed over a microphone.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Then be sure to read our roundups of the best telescope deals, along with our beginner's guide to observing the night sky with a manual telescope.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of beginner
Adjective
  • Khadijah had insisted on nursing their newborn Aziza with her own breast milk, but Latif discovers that only a few pouches remain in the fridge and formula makes his baby sick.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • As well as being a holy site, Lourdes attracts around 3 million pilgrims a year, including approximately 60,000 sick and disabled pilgrims.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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