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
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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.
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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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Skakel lobbied for a retrial on various grounds over the years but was denied until 2013, when a Connecticut judge upheld his assertion that his previous defense had been incompetent.Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
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These are usually people with severe mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders or developmental disabilities who have been deemed incompetent to stand trial.Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But that also would mean keeping the grossly unfit Patel from being confirmed.Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024
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In April, the indictment says, Feldstein failed a Shin Bet security-clearance check and was found unfit to handle highly classified material.Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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In addition to helping address labor shortages for both high-skill and unskilled jobs, federal authorization of state-run visa programs would also help states and regions address unique labor needs.Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
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As funds grow larger, the combination of junior associates seeking a track record and unskilled entrepreneurs seeking more VC at earlier stages could lead to significant failures.Dileep Rao, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Iran’s intelligence services appear incapable of giving their leaders advance warning about direct threats or disrupting hostile covert operations, according to Roule and other analysts.Abigail Williams, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024
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Its own military is incapable of doing so—Iran specializes in irregular warfare and its conventional forces are weak and largely ineffective.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unskillful
Cite this Entry
“Unskillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskillful. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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