amateurish

[ am-uh-choor-ish, -chur-, -tyoor-, -tur- ]

adjective

1. characteristic of an amateur, especially in having the faults or deficiencies of an amateur; inept:

   Though an enthusiastic violinist, he gave an amateurish performance.

amateurish

/ ˈæmətərɪʃ; -ˌtʃʊər-; -tʃər-; ˌæməˈtɜːrɪʃ /

adjective

1. lacking professional skill or expertise

Derived Forms

• ˈamateurishly, adverb
• ˈamateurishness, noun

Other Words From

• ama·teurish·ly adverb
• ama·teurish·ness noun
• pseudo·ama·teurish adjective
• pseudo·ama·teurish·ly adverb
• quasi-ama·teurish adjective
• quasi-ama·teurish·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of amateurish¹

First recorded in 1860–65; amateur + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

Others predicted that Trump’s rallies in blue states would be failures that reflect the nature of Trump's impulsive and amateurish campaign.

From Salon

The way England batted to be 156 all out in only 34 overs in their second innings was amateurish.

From BBC

For years, the city has opted for amateurish temporary fixes, using asphalt to fill cracks and crevices the way you might use frosting to mask the collapse of a cake.

From Los Angeles Times

In an opening sequence, we see our ad-hoc special forces team dispatch a group of German sailors with a bit of amateurish theater and a dose of their signature firepower.

From Los Angeles Times

But this was par for the course on the then-nascent app, where feeds mostly consisted of amateurish snapshots of friends’ and family’s vacations and meals, presented chronologically.

From Salon

Related Words

• incompetent
• inept