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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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
With this drug in unskilled hands, this sleep was permanent.
—
Katherine Harmon, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2011
Yet the government has also struggled to create productive jobs for its large unskilled labor force.
—Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2024
The growing labor markets in major cities attracted rural folk, as there was a rise in demand for unskilled laborers.
—Jacob Swartz, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024
That’s below India’s minimum wage for unskilled labor, despite a government promise in 2016 to double farmers’ income by 2022.
—Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unskilled 
Katherine Harmon, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2011
Yet the government has also struggled to create productive jobs for its large unskilled labor force.
—Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2024
The growing labor markets in major cities attracted rural folk, as there was a rise in demand for unskilled laborers.
—Jacob Swartz, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024
That’s below India’s minimum wage for unskilled labor, despite a government promise in 2016 to double farmers’ income by 2022.
—Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unskilled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskilled
Adjective
-
The case was suspended earlier this year because the aging McCarrick was deemed incompetent to stand for trial.Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is saying that women are incompetent and that their presence in the military causes love triangles and drama.Tonya Mosley, NPR, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The head of the ruling People Power Party turned course from Thursday in announcing that the president is unfit to lead the country.Joohee Cho, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2024
-
The team used a P.E. locker room at the stadium since the normal visitors locker room has been unfit for use recently due to a sewage issue, according to MCSD public information officer Matt Jenkins.Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
This isn’t to say that Leith and Hollywood are incapable of doing their job because of their age.Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2024
-
This rhetoric continues conservatives’ history of weaponizing research showing that trans people are more likely to be diagnosed as autistic than cis people in order to baselessly argue that trans youth — and autistic people — are incapable of making their own decisions about their healthcare care.Abby Monteil, Them, 26 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unskilled
Cite this Entry
“Unskilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskilled. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share