UNSKILLED Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

unskilled

adjective

ˌən-ˈskild

Definition of unskilled

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 unskilled Road accidents kill thousands in Bangladesh every year, due to a combination of poor road conditions, unskilled driving and inadequate oversight of traffic rules. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026 In an email to Krebs, Valadon claimed that the repo’s commit logs show that GitHub’s default protections against committing secrets—protections designed to protect unwitting or unskilled developers against exactly this kind of stupidness—had been disabled by the repo’s administrator. — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026 With the revision, unskilled workers in Noida will now earn approximately $147 per month, while semi-skilled and skilled workers will also see proportional increases. — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2026 Women worked as domestics; men served as unskilled laborers, canal diggers and later as mill workers across the river. — Paula Kane, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unskilled

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskilled

Adjective

These experienced and skilled athletes, who are often 22 or 23 years old, are appealing to coaches, especially when compared with inexperienced and physically less developed freshmen.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Hafley also cautioned against placing the sole blame on Willis, who started just the 11th game of his career and is leading a young offense with mostly inexperienced receivers who are still developing chemistry.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of inexperienced

Adjective

Powell said Escobar showed up to Friday’s meeting on-duty, with his crew on a fire engine, and called some board members incompetent.

— Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Court records obtained by CBS News Atlanta reveal that a judge declared 54-year-old Jonathan Hamby incompetent, putting him on a separate competency docket.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of incompetent

Adjective

Nearly a third of the stocks held by amateur traders are also held by hedge funds and other quintessentially aggressive pros, a record share.

— RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
In the last few months, sea creatures such as whale and hammerhead sharks, devil rays, wahoos and other fish species have been seen by beachgoers and amateur anglers from Orange County to Malibu.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of amateur

Adjective

Separately, the Independent Football Regulator has the powers to force club owners to sell and can withhold a license to operate if they are deemed unfit.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
In the meantime, a judge repeatedly deemed James mentally unfit for criminal proceedings.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfit

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

As Starlink's speed limits were lowered, Ukraine became incapable of shooting down some Russian drones.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Advertisement As for now, the Vatican has not indicated that Leo is in any way incapable of performing or delegating his duties.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of incapable

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unsinkable

unskilled

unskillful

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Style

“Unskilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskilled. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unskilled

adjective

Example Sentences

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