callow
A young, callow reporter nervously asks his first question at a press conference.
Adjective: 1. Young and inexperienced; immature: Describes a person, especially a young adult, who lacks the maturity, sophistication, or practical knowledge that comes with age and experience. It often implies a certain naivety or lack of judgment. 2. Not fully developed: Originally used to describe a bird that is still unfledged (without feathers) and not yet ready to fly, emphasizing a state of being unprepared or undeveloped.
The word "callow" is used as an adjective to describe a person's character or behavior. It is typically used in a slightly critical or descriptive, rather than complimentary, way to highlight a lack of worldly experience.
- The manager was frustrated with the callow intern's inability to handle professional criticism.
- His callow remarks during the serious debate revealed his political inexperience.
- She wrote a novel about the callow ambitions of youth in a big city.
- Callowness (noun): The state or quality of being callow.
- His callowness was evident in his simplistic solutions to complex problems.
- Fledgling (adj/n): Similar in meaning, suggesting newness and inexperience. Often used more positively for organizations or ventures (e.g., a fledgling company).
- Unfledged (adj): Literally not having feathers; figuratively immature or inexperienced.
- Green (adj): Informal synonym meaning inexperienced or naive.
- Naive (adj): Lacking experience, wisdom, or judgment.
- Inexperienced
- Immature
- Juvenile
- Naive
- Raw
- Unseasoned
- Experienced
- Mature
- Sophisticated
- Seasoned
- Worldly-wise
While "callow" often describes young people, it specifically criticizes their lack of developed judgment or maturity, not their age itself. An older person can theoretically exhibit callow behavior if they are surprisingly naive. The term is more formal than casual synonyms like "green."
A young, callow reporter nervously asks his first question at a press conference.
- young and inexperienced
- a fledgling enterprise
- a fledgling skier
- an unfledged lawyer