Definition

The condition of not having the ability or skill to do something well.

Example

His unskillfulness in playing the piano was evident during the performance.

Conversation

I feel like my cooking has a lot of unskillfulness in it lately.

Don't worry, everyone starts somewhere!

Yeah, but I keep burning the toast and overcooking the pasta.

That just means you need more practice — you'll get better with time!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Unskillfulness → It is formed from "un-" (meaning not) and "skill" (from Old Norse *skil*, meaning to discern or understand) and "-fulness" (meaning the state of being full of). The word "unskillfulness" means the state of not being skilled or lacking skill.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('un-') being combined with 'skill' — which means the ability to do something well — and '-fulness' indicating a state. This helps you remember that unskillfulness refers to the state of lacking skill.

Visually Confused Words