dilettante 1 of 2

dilettante

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noun

1
as in tinkerer
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession a dilettante at heart, she was never willing to commit the time and effort that ballet demands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in scholar
dated a person having a knowledgeable and fine appreciation of the arts she writes about art not from the point of view of an artist but from that of a committed dilettante

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun dilettante differ from other similar words?

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

Although the words amateur and dilettante have much in common, 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

When is it sensible to use dabbler instead of dilettante?

The words dabbler and dilettante are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dabbler suggests desultory habits of work and lack of persistence.

a dabbler who started novels but never finished them

Where would tyro be a reasonable alternative to dilettante?

The meanings of tyro and dilettante largely overlap; however, 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 dilettante
Noun
Bruce Wayne: To the public at large, Bruce Wayne is a shallow dilettante, apparently wasting his parents’ vast fortune on frivolous pursuits and hedonistic pleasures. Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 June 2024 Under the impression that Tom is good friends with his son, Dickie Greenleaf, a trust-fund dilettante who has decided to live in Italy to paint and dillydally instead of working with his father as planned, Mr. Greenleaf offers Tom money to go to Italy and convince the playboy to come home. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024 An even simpler reason is that Trump is a vain, distractible dilettante. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024 By then, the mathematician Benoît Mandelbrot had gained a reputation as an academic dilettante. Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettante
Noun
  • In fact, there are literally hundreds of platforms, tools, and applications out there that are designed to help amateurs and professionals execute engaging and follow-worthy social campaigns.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • These small-business owners often begin as amateurs pursuing a side gig: students moonlighting as wedding photographers, cashiers doing calligraphy after work.
    Adam Iscoe, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Møller had an initial career as a literary scholar, then spent many years as a politician, and is now back to writing.
    Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Wine scholars among us will recognize this as a mix of red and white grapes, with white allowed only in very small amounts.
    Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In an era where personalization is the ultimate luxury, DITA, an avant-garde eyewear brand beloved by celebrities and style connoisseurs—has just raised the bar.
    Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • More than 270 dealers and thousands of collectors and connoisseurs gather to sell and buy, and the goods aren’t chopped liver.
    Brian T. Allen, National Review, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The property’s deep ties to Nikko’s religious hubs unlock options typically reserved for locals and long-term devotees: private fire ceremonies at Chūzen-ji Temple, Shinto kagura dance performances in festival months, and more.
    Paul Jebara, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Even though Snow White was positioned as a family-friendly musical — one that should’ve generated a fair amount of excitement from fans and Disney devotees — the soundtrack is underperforming in a big way.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dilettante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettante. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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