# untrained

/ənˈtɹeɪnd/ (US) · /ʌntɹˈeɪnd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/untrained
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

not having the special skills or education needed for a specific job or activity. You use this to describe someone who has not been taught how to do something properly.

For teachers: lacking professional instruction, formal education, or systematic practice in a specific field. Often used to describe a lack of technical proficiency or safety awareness.

## Examples

- The job is too dangerous for untrained workers.
- To the untrained eye, these two different species of birds look exactly the same.
- The emergency response was hampered by the presence of well-meaning but untrained volunteers who inadvertently blocked the path of professional medical teams.

## Usage notes

- Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'remain'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.