uneducated

American  

[uhn-ej-oo-key-tid, -ed-yoo-] / ʌnˈɛdʒ ʊˌkeɪ tɪd, -ˈɛd yʊ- /

adjective

1. not educated.

   Synonyms:

   uncultivated, uninformed, unenlightened, uninstructed, untaught, unschooled, untutored

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uneducated British  

/ ʌnˈɛdjʊˌkeɪtɪd /

adjective

1. not having been educated to a good standard

   poor uneducated people

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Related Words

See ignorant.

Etymology

Origin of uneducated

First recorded in 1580–90; un- ¹ + educated

Explanation

Being uneducated means not having attended much school. Someone who's uneducated hasn't had a lot of formal teaching, but that doesn't mean they're not intelligent. Plenty of formally uneducated people go on to do great things and live happy lives. But if you're really curious about a subject, or you want to become a doctor, teacher, plumber, or veterinarian, you'll need to get educated by going to school or otherwise being taught. The word uneducated comes from the verb educate, "provide schooling," and its root, which means "bring out" or "lead forth."

Example Sentences

These policies make practical sense—the alternative is more uneducated children and uninsured drivers—but they also tend to undermine respect for the law.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

My young and wildly financially uneducated ass took myself to Gucci.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

The plight of Yemen's schools, as well as reflecting the country's humanitarian crisis, also signals difficulties for future development, hampered by an uneducated population.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

The refugees Babb met at the camps were not all poor, uneducated “Okies,” and the people she introduces us to in her novel are varied and real.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024

In the Meno Socrates persuaded an uneducated slave boy that he already knew that the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• ignorant
• illiterate
• unschooled