1
as in incompetent
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
an unskillful editor can be worse than none at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
some painfully unskillful playing by the band's guitarist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of unskillful
It was intended to be a mockery of the way White people danced, though plantation owners often interpreted slaves' movements as unskillful attempts to be like them.
—
Scottie Andrew and Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 6 July 2020
As is often the case, Louie was unlucky — and also unskillful.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2017
Scottie Andrew and Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 6 July 2020
As is often the case, Louie was unlucky — and also unskillful.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unskillful
Adjective
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Lindsey, the initial lead prosecutor on the Morphew case, testified against Stanley during a two-week disciplinary hearing in June, portraying her as an incompetent and disengaged leader.Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 4 Nov. 2024
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In this light The Favourite, a satire about an incompetent female ruler, is greeted very differently.Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Never forget that this connects directly to the central reason Trump is unfit to be president.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
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In my view, Trump is grossly unfit to be president, in both mind and character — especially the latter.Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Fritz could acquire land near the city, hire both skilled and unskilled labor, and insert his new company in the trade and finance links the city had with the outside world, thanks to the social capital present in the city and his access to it.Peter Vanham, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2024
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The researchers use a number of examples: the toolmaking done by our primate relatives, asking unskilled humans to make a stone tool, and random chipping of rocks.John Timmer, Ars Technica, 18 June 2024
Adjective
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Ludwig Kaiser Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser are incapable of having a bad match.Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
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Andrew Garfield is incapable of giving a meaningless expression.Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unskillful
Cite this Entry
“Unskillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskillful. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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