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
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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
-
From the bleachers of the Abe Stark Arena, our college friends cheered wildly as Phil, who was a novice, performed a few simple spins.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
-
For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The trails break down to 16 percent beginner, 55 percent intermediate, and 29 percent advanced runs.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
-
While my group of beginners played on one half of the ice, across the ice was a league game at play among club members with less than five years of experience in the sport.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The fledgling New Republic works to protect what the Rebellion fought for and turns to the legendary bounty hunter and his young apprentice for help.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2026
-
An academic career beckoned back home in Dublin, but the twenty-four-year-old apprentice writer was eager to forge a more artistic path.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Greenblatt said the newcomers have also drawn much of their business from the more skilled bettors — known as sharps — who tend to be less profitable for gambling companies.—
Peyton Forte,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Eight candidates, most of them newcomers, are seeking six available seats on the La Jolla Community Planning Association board in its annual election.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Three of the Celtics’ current rotation players — center Luka Garza, rookie wing Gonzalez and trade-deadline addition Nikola Vucevic — have never played with Tatum.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
-
SpaceX's upcoming Crew-12 launch for NASA will fly a pair of veteran astronauts and a pair of rookies to the orbital lab for an extended stay.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Strong was a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award, given to the top small forward, as a freshman in 2025.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Offseason turnover saw the Knights add 31 new faces to the roster, including transfers and incoming freshmen.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tenderfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenderfoot. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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