amateur

amateur — adjective

1. done by people in their free time because they enjoy it, rather than as the work

1.形容詞C1
釋義

done by people in their free time because they enjoy it, rather than as the work they earn money from.

例句

Rina joined an amateur choir that meets every Tuesday after work.

amateur + hobby group

The town museum showed amateur paintings from local high school teachers.

同義詞
  • recreational

    more formal; often used for activities rather than people.

  • hobby

    used before nouns in compounds such as 'hobby farm'; less general than 'amateur'.

  • non-professional

    more explicit about not doing something as a paid job.

反義詞

文法句型

amateur + role noun

amateur + activity noun

用法筆記

Usually placed before a noun naming the person or activity, such as 'amateur cook' or 'amateur choir'. Distinguish from adjective sense 2: this sense is about doing something in free time, while sense 2 focuses on unpaid competitive status.

常見錯誤

❌My brother is amateur in cooking.
✅My brother is an amateur cook.
💡before nouns, 'amateur' normally goes directly before the role or activity word.
❌She plays amateur piano.
✅She plays the piano as an amateur.
💡do not put 'amateur' directly before an instrument name.

2. used for games, contests, and similar events whose players or competitors are no

2.形容詞C1
釋義

used for games, contests, and similar events whose players or competitors are not paid.

例句

The school still runs an amateur boxing league with no prize money.

amateur + sport with unpaid players

Golfer Mia kept her amateur status and refused the cash award.

fixed phrase: amateur status

同義詞
  • unpaid

    states the money point directly, but does not suggest sport by itself.

  • non-professional

    broader; can describe players, clubs, or events outside professional systems.

  • grassroots

    often stresses local community sport rather than official pay status.

反義詞
  • professional

    used for players or events where people compete for pay.

文法句型

amateur + sport noun

amateur status

用法筆記

Most common with sports, leagues, tournaments, and official status rules. Distinguish from adjective sense 1: sense 1 can describe any free-time activity, but this sense usually matters where payment would change eligibility.

常見錯誤

❌He won an amateur salary.
✅He kept his amateur status and took no salary.
💡this sense means no pay, not a small amount of pay.
❌The club opened an amateur office.
✅The club opened an amateur boxing gym.
💡this sense usually modifies sports or competitions, not ordinary workplaces.

3. showing weak technique or too little know-how, so the result seems rough or clum

3.形容詞C1
釋義

showing weak technique or too little know-how, so the result seems rough or clumsy.

例句

The poster looked amateur, with crooked lines and uneven red paint.

predicative use after look

His amateur editing left long pauses in the wedding video.

amateur + work noun

同義詞
  • clumsy

    stresses awkward execution more than unpaid status.

  • sloppy

    suggests carelessness as well as weak skill.

  • amateurish

    slightly more direct and often more critical.

反義詞
  • polished

    carefully finished and smooth in quality.

  • professional

    can describe work that looks skilled and well finished.

文法句型

look / sound / feel amateur

amateur + work noun

用法筆記

Often used critically after linking verbs such as 'look', 'sound', and 'feel'. It judges the quality of the result, not whether the maker is paid; compare adjective senses 1 and 2.

常見錯誤

❌The film was amateur because students made it.
✅The film looked amateur because the sound kept cutting out.
💡this sense criticizes poor quality, not simply the age or pay of the makers.
❌She is amateur at tennis.
✅She is an amateur tennis player.' or 'Her tennis looks amateur.
💡before 'at', use the noun sense; this adjective sense describes the quality of the performance.

amateur — noun