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Synonyms

bush league

1 American  

noun

Baseball.

  1. minor league.

bush-league 2 American  
[boosh-leeg] / ˈbʊʃˌlig /

adjective

  1. inferior or amateurish; mediocre.

    a bush-league theatrical performance.

Etymology

Origin of bush league1

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Origin of bush-league2

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But in a bush league snub, he chooses to be Commissioner Rob, not Commissioner Bob.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 17, 2025

“It’s a little bush league, but I don’t expect anything less from these guys,” Kershaw said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2025

While creative, his move drew the ire of plenty of current and former college and pro players who viewed the "gotcha" moment as bush league.

From Fox News • Dec. 10, 2021

“It was like the bush league of independent leagues.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 31, 2020

The great Ty Cobb first made them "sit up and take notice" in a bush league.

From Certain Success by Hawkins, Norval A.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.