unprofessional
Americanadjective
-
not professional; not pertaining to or characteristic of a profession.
-
at variance with or contrary to professional standards or ethics; not befitting members of a profession, as language, behavior, or conduct.
-
not belonging to a profession; nonprofessional.
-
not done with professional competence, as a play staged or an opera performed by amateurs; amateurish.
-
Sports. nonprofessional.
noun
adjective
-
contrary to the accepted code of conduct of a profession
-
amateur
-
not belonging to or having the required qualifications for a profession
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unprofessional
First recorded in 1800–10; un- 1 + professional
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.
Unprofessional and disturbing as the claim may be, it also provides a hilarious example of how narcissists defeat themselves.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
Q. Unprofessional “friends”: Like a lot of folks, I have a side hustle in a creative field, and I do social media marketing.
From Slate • Oct. 29, 2018
This year he made the movie "Ron White's Comedy Salute to the Troops," and last year he released the album "A Little Unprofessional."
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2014
People: Rude and Unprofessional Erika Andersen explains how some companies lose their best employees at “hello.”
From New York Times • Apr. 22, 2013
Unprofessional criticism is often more helpful still, but alas! one's friends are to one's faults more than a little blind, and to one's virtues very kind!
From The Story of My Life Recollections and Reflections by Terry, Ellen
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.
