Synonym Chooser

How does the noun tyro differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of tyro are amateur, dabbler, and dilettante. While all these words mean "a person who follows a pursuit without attaining proficiency or professional status," tyro implies inexperience often combined with audacity with resulting crudeness or blundering.

shows talent but is still a mere tyro

When could amateur be used to replace tyro?

While the synonyms amateur and tyro are close in meaning, amateur often applies to one practicing an art without mastery of its essentials; in sports it may also suggest not so much lack of skill but avoidance of direct remuneration.

a painting obviously done by an amateur
remained an amateur despite lucrative offers

In what contexts can dabbler take the place of tyro?

The synonyms dabbler and tyro are sometimes interchangeable, but dabbler suggests desultory habits of work and lack of persistence.

a dabbler who started novels but never finished them

When can dilettante be used instead of tyro?

The meanings of dilettante and tyro largely overlap; however, dilettante may apply to the lover of an art rather than its skilled practitioner but usually implies elegant trifling in the arts and an absence of serious commitment.

had no patience for dilettantes

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 tyro If Fishman’s math holds up, ESPN could be looking at a 20% boost in overall revenue in just seven years’ time—a feat that likely would be wholly improbable if the sports unit were to maintain the status quo or promote the streaming tyro at the expense of the foundational TV network. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Dec. 2024 Rabe also steers the movie’s helm, alongside her life partner and fellow actor Hamish Linklater, and the tyro directors manage to thread a tricky needle with their first feature, navigating the chasm and the overlap between agitated and quiet, between cartoon brightness and angst. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 June 2023 This intelligent, sensitive treatment of the rarely seen, everyday lives of young Palestinian citizens of Israel marks tyro feature writer-director Firas Khoury as a talent to watch, as well as a solid acquisition for Film Movement, the North American distributor. Alissa Simon, Variety, 22 Nov. 2022 When a tyro Steve Jobs or Bill Gates moved a lever back and forth, different configurations of those cylinders caused the Digi-Comp to compute Boolean logic operations. Jim Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2014 Ayyub played another student leader, a tyro named Shiva Shekhar—not quite the main role, but a key one nevertheless, and a fillip to his career. Samanth Subramanian, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2022 Outfitted in progressively more luscious frocks by Susan Hilferty, Feldstein makes a journey from nervy tyro to nervier pro. Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2022 The contenders in the original screenplay field are dominated by repeat WGA and Academy Award nominees with a few breakthrough tyro scribes in the mix. Danielle Turchiano, Variety, 30 Dec. 2021 The songs on the young rock tyro's debut album Teenage Heartbreak (out Friday) channel the irresistible riffs, explosive choruses and mix of lust, heartache, rebellion and angst that defined pop-punk's golden age. John Norris, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyro
Noun
  • With six attachments and a base designed around the coanda effect (an aerodynamic phenomenon where high-velocity air causes moving objects, in this case, hair, to attach to a nearby curved surface), styling novices like me could achieve a bouncy, long-lasting, fresh-from-the-salon blowout at home.
    Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 1 July 2025
  • The property is hoping to attract a range of photographers, both novice and seasoned, to the property due to its hide.
    Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Pad: Perfect for beginners and artists who enjoy painting plein air, pads of watercolor paper are a convenient, budget-friendly option.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
  • Texas Hold’em Poker Lessons for Beginners Monday (weekly) from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. This beginner’s class is designed to teach the fundamentals of Texas Hold’em in a fun and engaging environment.
    Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025
Noun
  • Born in Paris in 1879, Poiret started his career as an apprentice at fashion houses including Worth and Doucet, setting up his own in 1903.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 20 June 2025
  • President Trump’s goal of 1M apprentices is a good start, but not nearly enough.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Clark's rookie year in 2024 included several controversial incidents in which Clark was roughed up by opposing players.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2025
  • In addition to the $500,000, Roth and Ramos also received an autographed Daniels jersey, which the 2024 NFL offensive rookie of the year and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner inked on the spot.
    Larry Holder, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • And those cryptic commands persist today in some Linux editors, like Vim, a modal text editor where users must switch between different modes for editing versus navigating text, which famously confuses newcomers.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, newcomers will be played by Jordan Donica, Andrea Martin, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Hattie Morahan, Leslie Uggams, Merritt Wever, Bill Camp and Phylicia Rashad.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • This year’s snub doesn’t figure to start a trend, however, as incoming freshman guard Darryn Peterson is ESPN.com’s early choice to be selected No. 1 overall in June 2026.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2025
  • Winston Schroder, a freshman, won the boys decathlon outdoor national championship.
    Jason Dill, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tyro.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyro. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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