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Synonyms

unsophisticated

American  
[uhn-suh-fis-ti-key-tid] / ˌʌn səˈfɪs tɪˌkeɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. not sophisticated; simple; artless.

    Synonyms:
    inexperienced, naive, ingenuous
  2. without complexity or refinements.

    a relatively unsophisticated mechanism.

  3. unadulterated; pure; genuine.


unsophisticated British  
/ ˌʌnsəˈfɪstɪˌkeɪtɪd /

adjective

  1. lacking experience or worldly wisdom

  2. marked by a lack of refinement or complexity

    an unsophisticated machine

  3. unadulterated or genuine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of unsophisticated

First recorded in 1620–30; un- 1 + sophisticated

Vocabulary lists containing unsophisticated

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.

See Examples For:

Getting such a charter would give huge latitude to crypto banks, endangering unsophisticated investors, critics say.

From Slate Jul. 22, 2026

He added that “unfortunately, many unsophisticated investors will be left holding the bag in the end.”

From MarketWatch May 13, 2026

The song's music video proved too much for a group of "concerned" public figures in Cyprus, who called it "unsophisticated" and "insulting to Cypriot history, traditions and aesthetics".

From BBC May 8, 2026

Everything fell: oil prices, the dollar, even gold, because investors were shocked by how unsophisticated and draconian the policy was.

From Salon Apr. 5, 2026

“It was a rather unsophisticated item,” Hunt conceded.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

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