UNSKILLED Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

unskilled

adjective

ˌən-ˈskild

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

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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

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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 No army in history seemed ever to have been more ragged and motley and mongrel and polyglot than the Continental, rich and poor, learned and illiterate, from boys to old men, skilled and unskilled, born all over the world, speaking dozens of languages, believing in different gods and in no god. —

Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025 The network also reported female health workers saying that their newer colleagues were likely to be unskilled women who came from Taliban-loyal families. —

NPR, 14 Oct. 2025 Unfortunately, the rest of the roster is too big and unskilled, a downstream consequence of buying into the fiction that Davis is a power forward. —

John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Lane change issues, road debris or an unskilled driver are all quickly visible in the rear-view mirror with a tap on the accelerator. —

James Raia, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unskilled

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskilled

Adjective

Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.

— Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
Schaeffer won over most of the Rockies players quickly, but, fielding a young, inexperienced team, Colorado limped toward the finish line, going 4-21 in September.

— Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026