1
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
an unskilled handling of the facial features in the portrait explains why it is attributed to "school of Velázquez" and not to the master himself
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incompetent
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
hired unskilled workers because they would work for lower wages
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unskilled
When someone loses their cool, feedback is often unskilled, laden with negative emotion and unactionable.
—
Hanna Hart, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
In 1988, skilled and unskilled industrial workers, clerical staff, and government officials accounted for 80 percent of those in the top five percent of income earners.
—Branko Milanovic, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
Furthermore, although the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act promises 100 days of unskilled employment, households have rarely gotten more than 50 days of employment on average.
—Shamika Ravi, Foreign Affairs, 6 Apr. 2017
Related Stories Whoever says this is unskilled work is either ignorant or lying.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unskilled
Hanna Hart, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
In 1988, skilled and unskilled industrial workers, clerical staff, and government officials accounted for 80 percent of those in the top five percent of income earners.
—Branko Milanovic, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
Furthermore, although the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act promises 100 days of unskilled employment, households have rarely gotten more than 50 days of employment on average.
—Shamika Ravi, Foreign Affairs, 6 Apr. 2017
Related Stories Whoever says this is unskilled work is either ignorant or lying.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unskilled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskilled
Adjective
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Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
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Pop culture has abetted this disheartening pattern, consistently depicting fathers as incompetent ...—
Gregory M. Collins,
National Review,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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Brushing up on English has taken on new urgency for future and current truck drivers after President Donald Trump issued an executive order saying truckers who don’t read and speak the language proficiently would be considered unfit for service.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 June 2025
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These board members have betrayed the public trust and shown themselves to be unfit to govern the district.—
Jay Steiger,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Here, Rodel shares how to make the unfitted kitchen trend your own, one statement-worthy piece at a time.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
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Mix Materials The beauty in the unfitted kitchen aesthetic is found in its collected look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
Adjective
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This fact underscores Einstein’s wisdom that average individuals are incapable of understanding why great leaders always choose freedom of honesty over the prison of others’ opinions.—
Dr. Adil Dalal,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unskilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskilled. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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