workmanlike
Americanadjective
-
like or befitting a workman.
-
skillful; well executed.
a workmanlike piece of writing.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of workmanlike
First recorded in 1400–50, workmanlike is from the late Middle English word werkmanlike. See workman, -like
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.
Mr. Statham, a not infrequently delightful actor whose main weakness is an inability to say no to mediocre projects, undertakes the usual heroic killing spree in “Mutiny,” a brief, reasonably compelling but shamelessly workmanlike feature.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
During the 1990s, Norway were synonymous with an effective but workmanlike style of defensive football.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
We overlook what’s humble, workmanlike or unfashionable, until suddenly it’s been rebranded and handed back to us with better lighting and a higher price tag.
From Salon ● Dec. 30, 2025
“He was a consistently strong sportscaster. A very good, workmanlike boxing broadcaster; well-prepared, clear and effective in his calls.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2025
The fact was that he was dizzy with all this strangeness, and he hoped that by attending to something dull and workmanlike he’d regain a little balance.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
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.
