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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
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
-
And given the ease of using the phishing toolkits, even technical novices can create a legitimate-looking login page and a proxy server.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2025
-
But where one is fluent in the language of entertainment, the other now seated at the table is a novice in an industry that’s fraught with shady practices and constant change.—
Shirley Halperin,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The basic 6- to 8-inch chef knife works best for most people, especially for beginners.—
Molly Higgins,
Wired News,
2 May 2025
-
This Dungeons and Dragons Starter Bundle combines some essential materials for new players to get started, including premade character sheets, an introductory rule book, a super-easy first campaign, and dice, making an otherwise complicated game a lot easier to understand for tweens or beginners.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The show, which will tell the story of Maul teaching an apprentice, will debut in 2026.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Abrego Garcia remains in the US Over the next six years, Abrego Garcia is a full-time sheet metal apprentice and takes classes at the University of Maryland to get his journeyman license.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The increase was mainly a result of the massive influx of out-of-state newcomers sparked by the rise of remote work, which allowed many Americans to relocate to more affordable, more livable cities and turn their back on expensive metropolises.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
-
First as Jacques Demy’s Madonna figure in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), then in films by Truffaut, Polanski, and Buñuel, then during her stint in Hollywood and her later career as Andre Téchiné’s muse and inspiration to Millennial newcomers, Deneuve embodies a leftist French cinema ideal.—
Armond White,
National Review,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The sports apparel giant just dropped its 2025 rookie class lineup and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter will be taking his talents back to the brand, leading the charge of its twelve-player rookie roster.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Landing in Cleveland would be a poor outcome for Sanders, as the team isn't currently built to uplift a rookie passer.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His early experience formed confidence and self-belief, reinforced by family in a way Donovan Leary remembers from carpools during their freshman year.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
The 6-foot-7 guard from Carmichael, Calif., played his freshman season at Stanford and averaged 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tenderfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenderfoot. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share