unprofessional

[uhn-pruh-fesh-uh-nl]

adjective

1. not professional; not pertaining to or characteristic of a profession.

2. at variance with or contrary to professional standards or ethics; not befitting members of a profession, as language, behavior, or conduct.

3. not belonging to a profession; nonprofessional.

4. not done with professional competence, as a play staged or an opera performed by amateurs; amateurish.

5. Sports.,  nonprofessional.

noun

1. a person who is not a professional; amateur.

unprofessional

/ ˌʌnprəˈfɛʃənəl /

adjective

1. contrary to the accepted code of conduct of a profession

2. amateur

3. not belonging to or having the required qualifications for a profession

Other Word Forms

• unprofessionalism noun
• unprofessionally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unprofessional¹

First recorded in 1800–10; un- ¹ + professional

Example Sentences

Coming from the primary spokesperson for the president of the United States, it was unbelievably unprofessional.

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The Australian government has raised its concern with Beijing over the "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvre, the defence department said in a statement on Monday.

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In 2021, an agent filed a complaint against Young accusing him of making “volatile, unprofessional phone calls” and “inappropriate comments” toward subordinates, according to an e-mail reviewed by The Times.

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Despite several officers sharing discriminatory and unprofessional views, some made it clear they were aware of the need to conceal their real opinions.

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James, who would go on to captain Europe to a narrow defeat at Brookline in 1999, received a £1,500 fine for "unprofessional conduct".

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Related Words

• ignorant 
• improper 
• incompetent 
• inefficient 
• lax 
• negligent 
• unethical