amateur 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of amateurnext
1
as in inexperienced
being such only for recreation an amateur cabinetmaker, he derives immense satisfaction from finely crafting his own furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in amateurish
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill in every room there were amateur watercolors, apparently the work of the innkeeper's wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

amateur

2 of 2

noun

ˈa-mə-chər How to pronounce amateur (audio)
1
as in tinkerer
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession an amateur photographer who has won a number of photo contests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginner
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science a homemade doghouse that looked like it was built by an amateur who hadn't mastered basic carpentry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun amateur differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of amateur are dabbler, dilettante, and tyro. While all these words mean "a person who follows a pursuit without attaining proficiency or professional status," 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 amateur?

While the synonyms dabbler and amateur are close in meaning, dabbler suggests desultory habits of work and lack of persistence.

a dabbler who started novels but never finished them

When is it sensible to use dilettante instead of amateur?

The words dilettante and amateur can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When might tyro be a better fit than amateur?

The words tyro and amateur are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tyro implies inexperience often combined with audacity with resulting crudeness or blundering.

shows talent but is still a mere tyro

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 amateur
Adjective
The 22-year old’s aspiration to return to America’s favorite amateur sport signals just how big college football has become. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 But their trek veers into all-out chaos as drugs, strippers and gun-toting amateur rappers enter the fray. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
Contrary to perceptions, nonprofit workers aren’t well-meaning amateurs waiting for tech to save the day, but savvy operators with deep community knowledge and relationships that can’t simply be replicated. — Max Simkoff, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 The interior minister said that the operation did not appear to be the work of amateurs but rather had been professionally planned and executed. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for amateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amateur
  1. inexperienced
  2. tinkerer
  3. beginner
  4. avocational
  5. hobbyist
  6. novice
  7. nonprofessional
  8. enthusiast
Adjective
  • The Holbrook sisters are undersocialized and inexperienced with the world, and Herzog sees them as figures out of a fable, dreamers who talk incessantly about love and seem connected to the elemental and the ancient.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When someone with 20 years of expertise is willing to look inexperienced for 20 minutes, everyone else gets permission to learn.
    — Pankaj Prasoon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Noun
  • When an experiment fails, the tinkerer does not collapse emotionally.
    — Lintao "LT" Lu, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • In the coming months, the company plans to add more functionality and self-serve features to allow a wider range of use cases and users, eventually reaching individual tinkerers.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of tinkerer
Noun
  • Yarn crafters of all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced makers, the release said.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is one of the best telescopes for beginner-to-intermediate stargazers who want to view deep-sky objects and appreciate assistance in manually locating the targets.
    — Paul Brett, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of beginner
Adjective
  • Bartell, an avocational drummer and former public defender, had never owned or operated a concert venue before.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The Club’s motto, ‘Weaving spiders, come not here,’ conveys the Club’s character and purpose as a social, avocational organization.
    — Wire Services, Dallas News, 7 Apr. 2023
Definition of avocational
Noun
  • Diesel, an occasional hobbyist musician, seems to have spent some time actually recording whatever this is.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Models like this are also popular with hobbyists, AI researchers, and individual developers because they can be tinkered with on local hardware without per-token API fees.
    — Samuel Axon, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of hobbyist
Noun
  • Since achieving widespread fame in 2013, Rettig has overseen gatherings that have introduced thousands of novices to toad smoking.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
  • What would have taken a novice lapsed coder like me hours of time struggling with physics models and code references was already in a functional, ready-to-test state with minimal effort.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of novice
Adjective
  • Also partly filled with nonprofessional young actors, Mitić’s hair-raising debut makes that French first feature look sunny by comparison.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Healthcare programs, such as nursing, are among the programs eligible for the higher limit — though such degrees were initially deemed nonprofessional and briefly capped how much money could be borrowed to pursue them.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 21 July 2026
Definition of nonprofessional
Noun
  • During the monthly programs, yarn enthusiasts can work on their own knit, crochet or other yarn art project in a group setting, according to a press release from the district.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The country remains a popular destination among outdoor enthusiasts due to its Amazon Rainforest and incredible salt flats.
    — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of enthusiast

Browse Nearby Words

amassing
amateur
amateurish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amateur. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on amateur

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about amateur

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All