jackleg 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjak-ˌleg How to pronounce jackleg (audio)
Definition of jacklegnext
1
as in amateur
being such only for recreation a toolshed that can be built by any jackleg carpenter who's capable of hitting a nail without smashing his thumb

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2
as in inexperienced
lacking or showing a lack of expert skill he did such a jackleg installation of that door frame that now the door won't shut

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards a jackleg lawyer whose clients consist mainly of drug dealers and child molesters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jackleg

2 of 2

noun

as in kid
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science you can't rely on a bunch of jacklegs to run your dairy farm

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jackleg
  1. amateur
  2. inexperienced
  3. corrupt
  4. kid
  5. degraded
  6. beginner
  7. sick
Adjective
  • The hot mic saw to it that Rodgers' message to McCarthy was loud and clear and any amateur lip reader could also clearly decipher the head coach's response to his quarterback who spent 13 seasons with him in Green Bay.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • West, founded in 1908, spent much of its first century yo-yoing up and down the standings of amateur leagues on anonymous fields around south Manchester.
    — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • Consulting has built a system that allows relatively inexperienced people to deliver the judgment clients are willing to pay for.
    — Albert Mikkelsen, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Seas will also begin to lower as the nor'easter pulls away, but inexperienced mariners and small vessels are encouraged to stay docked on Monday as rough seas and gusty winds are still likely.
    — Sarah Wroblewski, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • The national Democratic effort to defeat Collins kept going; now the party is spending millions on an ad hitting her for a ProPublica story about her links to a corrupt defense contractor.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • For many voters, this view of Lula as corrupt is wrapped up with criticism of his economic policies and of the strong welfare state that the former union leader has come to embody.
    — Constance Malleret, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Noun
  • In the winter months of 1973, kids were taking flashlights to the pitch-black bus stops in the morning.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Carmella is also still mad at Vicki for saying that Danny is raising her kids, and Heather is angry after learning that Vicki called her fake in Palm Springs.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of kid
Adjective
  • The center will test uncrewed platforms under realistic operational conditions and threats, including degraded or denied communication environments.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Her organization supplies useful trees, restores degraded land while improving biodiversity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of degraded
Noun
  • The beginner's trap is expecting the Great Square to be compact and immediately obvious.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The evening will start with a beginner class, followed by intermediate instruction for more experienced terpsichorean talents.
    — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginner
Adjective
  • Compiling and sharing data from large races can also help event organizers assess whether changes like earlier start times or alternate dates help reduce the number of people who get sick or hurt.
    — STAT, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Add a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, a loss, a lawsuit, a sick parent or a partner who travels, and the inventory stops being theoretical.
    — Simbiat Adighije, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of sick
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

jackknives
jackleg
jacklegs
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Cite this Entry

“Jackleg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jackleg. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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