as in novice
a person who is just starting out in a field of activity
skateboarders who are tenderfeet will inevitably fall as they learn their first moves
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tenderfoot
Smit-McPhee plays a hapless Scottish tenderfoot who teams with Fassbender's conflicted bounty hunter to track down his true love in the American West.
—
and Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 21 June 2024
The tenderfoot Americans, with six rookies, eight guys yet to reach 30, and minimal scar tissue, won three of four foursomes in the morning to get to 9-3 and two of four fourball rounds in the afternoon to reach 11-5.
—BostonGlobe.com, 25 Sep. 2021
Once upon a time, the members of a whitetail deer hunting club in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula invited a tenderfoot to their camp.
—The Editors, Field & Stream, 11 Oct. 2020
But even a tenderfoot can easily corral yeast and put it to use, because yeast is everywhere.
—Henry Fountain, New York Times, 7 May 2020
Lazaria Spearman School: Dacula High Class: 2022 Position: Forward
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: The 6-foot-2 tenderfoot averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds per game to help the Falcons to a 26-4 record.
—USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2020
But like a tenderfoot scout who confidently builds a campfire only to end up burning down the forest, Kalanick’s loose management — of his staff and himself — paved the way for a cascade of embarrassing scandals by 2014.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
The film stars Robert Pattinson as Samuel Alabaster, a foppishly dressed tenderfoot who shows up on the Oregon territory with miniature horse named Butterscotch, looking to hire a preacher (David Zellner) for a wedding.
—Gary Thompson, Philly.com, 27 June 2018
and Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 21 June 2024
The tenderfoot Americans, with six rookies, eight guys yet to reach 30, and minimal scar tissue, won three of four foursomes in the morning to get to 9-3 and two of four fourball rounds in the afternoon to reach 11-5.
—BostonGlobe.com, 25 Sep. 2021
Once upon a time, the members of a whitetail deer hunting club in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula invited a tenderfoot to their camp.
—The Editors, Field & Stream, 11 Oct. 2020
But even a tenderfoot can easily corral yeast and put it to use, because yeast is everywhere.
—Henry Fountain, New York Times, 7 May 2020
Lazaria Spearman School: Dacula High Class: 2022 Position: Forward
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: The 6-foot-2 tenderfoot averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds per game to help the Falcons to a 26-4 record.
—USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2020
But like a tenderfoot scout who confidently builds a campfire only to end up burning down the forest, Kalanick’s loose management — of his staff and himself — paved the way for a cascade of embarrassing scandals by 2014.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
The film stars Robert Pattinson as Samuel Alabaster, a foppishly dressed tenderfoot who shows up on the Oregon territory with miniature horse named Butterscotch, looking to hire a preacher (David Zellner) for a wedding.
—Gary Thompson, Philly.com, 27 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenderfoot
Noun
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The simple controls and hints gallery are optimized for novices, while the advanced playing modes are better suited for seasoned players.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Though shaken, the novice nurse insists on finishing her shift.—
Jennifer Obel,
Twin Cities,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
How to observe nebulas There are many types of nebulas, and most disappoint the beginner.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Plus the town is less than a half-hour north of Afton Alps, a beloved Minnesota ski resort with 18 lifts and 50 runs, covering beginner, intermediate, and advanced terrain.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Baptism of Christ is generally believed to have been completed by El Greco’s son and other apprentices in his workshop in the decade after the artist died.—
Leigh Anne Miller,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
During the Renaissance, master painters typically employed apprentices to work alongside them as the apprentices learned their craft.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And Gersten, a 34-year-old county analyst and political newcomer, is making the case that fresh eyes and practical thinking are what Chula Vista needs.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That’s not to say the Dolphins didn’t potentially reach — a few names certainly come to mind — yet how well these players perform will be the ultimate determinate of whether general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, coach Jeff Hafley and the rest of the franchise’s newcomers can evaluate talent.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Flagg and Jordan are the only two rookies to record multiple games of at least 45 points since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Cincinnati rookie Frank Robinson hit the first home run of his 586 lifetime homers in a 9-1 win over Chicago.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At Dos Pueblos High in Goleta, baseball coach George Hedricks needed no excuses to start freshman Mattias Di Maggio, considering last name of DiMaggio is one of the best baseball names in the history of the sport.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
As a redshirt freshman, Lindsey completed 63% of his passes for 2,382 yards, while taking care of the football (18 touchdowns to only six interceptions).—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tenderfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenderfoot. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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