unskillful

adjective

ˌən-ˈskil-fəl How to pronounce unskillful (audio)
Definition of unskillfulnext
1
as in incompetent
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job an unskillful editor can be worse than none at all

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill some painfully unskillful playing by the band's guitarist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 unskillful It was intended to be a mockery of the way White people danced, though plantation owners often interpreted slaves' movements as unskillful attempts to be like them. — Scottie Andrew and Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 6 July 2020 One of the most fraught issues around suicide clusters is unskillful media coverage, which studies suggest can spur copycats. — Kate Siber, Outside Online, 4 Sep. 2018 As is often the case, Louie was unlucky — and also unskillful. — Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskillful
  1. incompetent
  2. inexperienced
  3. unfit
  4. amateur
  5. unfitted
  6. unskilled
  7. incapable
Adjective
  • In August 2022, Garza was ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial and ordered to be jailed until a bed in a state mental health treatment facility was available.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In my opinion, the president and his incompetent, corrupt acolytes have debased the office and dragged the good name of America through the mud.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of incompetent
Adjective
  • Things won’t be at an elite level because this is still a young, inexperienced team.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Under Sorrells, attorneys representing the state often rely on equally inexperienced colleagues or, in some instances, opposing counsel, for training, sources said.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • There is exactly no evidence that trans identity makes individuals unfit to serve, and this move is a clear escalation in the administration’s attempts to simply remove trans people from American life.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That’ll be particularly important after Paxton defeated Cornyn in a brutal primary where Senate Republicans and other Cornyn allies spent more than $90 million in his defense and attacked Paxton as unfit for office.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfit
Adjective
  • The world of June Marple, the elderly amateur detective Christie featured in a dozen novels and 20 short stories, is considerably quainter.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Oct. 2026
  • This new class of flamethrowing amateur diplomats has little reason to pursue the humdrum work of nurturing ties.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • 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
  • The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.
    — Daniel Akst, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022
Definition of unfitted
Adjective
  • What increased access to AI tools has done is lower the barrier to entry for even unskilled hackers to target low-hanging fruit.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Many also regard government employment as inherently more stable and dignified than the harsh labor markets of the private sector, especially for the relatively unskilled.
    — Anthony W. Pereira, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of unskilled
Adjective
  • But both sides have proved incapable of making the concessions necessary to strike a deal.
    — ALLISON MINOR, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Erin is incapable of seeing any of her actions as wrong, which is why everyone is always pissed at her.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of incapable

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Cite this Entry

“Unskillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskillful. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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