uneducated

American  

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

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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Synonym Usage

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

See Examples For:

uneducated

"Don't make me feel uncomfortable because you are uneducated."

From BBC ● May 10, 2026

Through public-records requests, residents obtained internal messages from city officials that many in Festus find disparaging, including one referring to data-center opponents as a “sideshow of uneducated people.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 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

Many of the enlisted men were poor, uneducated and on the margins before the war and came back to the same circumstances.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2025

My father, and a few other influential chiefs, had the great respect for education that is often present in those who are uneducated.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• ignorant
• illiterate
• unschooled