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
-
The police department’s insufficient and incompetent investigation cannot stand.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
-
After almost a year of being declared incompetent, her trial began in April 2023.—
Miguel Torres,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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There were cries of a rotten system and in its recent lawsuit against the tennis authorities, the PTPA has belittled the current system as unfit for purpose.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Once a game has started, the lead umpire determines whether it should be suspended as well as when it can be resumed or terminated because of bad weather or unfit playing conditions.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Photo: Focus Features/Everett Collection A Coen brothers riff on the spy genre, Burn After Reading is filled with self-mythologizing drunks, unskilled opportunists, and borderline morons.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
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In reference to Table 1, TRINA 1.0 was able to perform telemedicine and unskilled physical tasks.—
Kris Hauser,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 May 2020
Adjective
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Rats, for example, are incapable of vomiting, which is why rat poison works so well.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unskillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unskillful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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