inexperienced

American

[in-ik-speer-ee-uhnst] / ˌɪn ɪkˈspɪər i ənst /

adjective

not experienced; lacking knowledge, skill, or wisdom gained from experience.

Synonyms:

naive, green, raw, unpracticed, inexpert, unskilled

Etymology

Origin of inexperienced

First recorded in 1620–30; inexperience + -ed ²

Vocabulary lists containing inexperienced

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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.

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of being assigned an inexperienced, overconfident boss, you know what happens next.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Rao had acted like an inexperienced player, only to take all the chips, one of the players that evening said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Raman, who had endorsed Bass’ reelection before throwing her hat in at the last minute, came off as inexperienced, touchy and unprepared.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Abid: As good as City are they seemed really inexperienced today.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

The two are needling, making fun of inexperienced players.

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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