as in amateur
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill
many dilettante efforts could be seen at the sidewalk art show
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tinkerer
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession
a dilettante at heart, she was never willing to commit the time and effort that ballet demands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scholar
dated
a person having a knowledgeable and fine appreciation of the arts
she writes about art not from the point of view of an artist but from that of a committed dilettante
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dilettante
Harriet Quick, theweek, 17 July 2024
Bruce Wayne: To the public at large, Bruce Wayne is a shallow dilettante, apparently wasting his parents’ vast fortune on frivolous pursuits and hedonistic pleasures.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 June 2024
Under the impression that Tom is good friends with his son, Dickie Greenleaf, a trust-fund dilettante who has decided to live in Italy to paint and dillydally instead of working with his father as planned, Mr. Greenleaf offers Tom money to go to Italy and convince the playboy to come home.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024
An even simpler reason is that Trump is a vain, distractible dilettante.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Noun
Back in the 1930s, Cocteau was dubbed a dilettante.
—Harriet Quick, theweek, 17 July 2024
Bruce Wayne: To the public at large, Bruce Wayne is a shallow dilettante, apparently wasting his parents’ vast fortune on frivolous pursuits and hedonistic pleasures.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 June 2024
Under the impression that Tom is good friends with his son, Dickie Greenleaf, a trust-fund dilettante who has decided to live in Italy to paint and dillydally instead of working with his father as planned, Mr. Greenleaf offers Tom money to go to Italy and convince the playboy to come home.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024
An even simpler reason is that Trump is a vain, distractible dilettante.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dilettante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilettante
Noun
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It’s gone through many changes since, but the core idea of bringing a dozen great amateur bakers together under a big white tent to show off their skills in pastries, breads, cakes, and other baked goods remains reassuringly constant.—
Katie Rife,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
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Snider was selected in the first round of MLB’s amateur draft the following June, taken 14th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays.—
John Perrotto,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Noun
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Immigration authorities released visiting Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri on Wednesday following a federal judge’s ruling.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2025
-
Wednesday's court hearing was attended by dozens of people, including the scholar's family members, friends and colleagues at Georgetown and advocates.—
Soo Rin Kim,
ABC News,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Winston Churchill, a connoisseur of many things and someone who knew how to pick his Riviera resorts, stayed here as did Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Vivien Leigh, Ava Gardner and more recently, George Clooney.—
Catherine Sabino,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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Courtney Wittich is on-the-clock fashion PR, off-the-clock sauna sommelier, bathing connoisseur and water gourmand.—
Courtney Wittich,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Other highlights of the day’s schedule include a 5K and kids’ fun run at 8 a.m. (which is, devotees will note, two more Ks than last year); a morning parade at 9:30, a classic car show, wiener dog races and an appearance by family-friendly science performers 3M Visiting Wizards.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2025
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According to devotees—especially followers of ketogenic and paleo diets or intermittent fasting—this intriguing combo boosts energy and concentration.—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dilettante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilettante. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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