Pick the adjective "armchair" when you want to dismiss someone's comments or suggestions as totally lacking in authority. In two quick syllables, it conveys all the sauciness of words like "uninformed," "ignorant," "uneducated," and "unqualified." And it's much easier to say, spell, and understand than the more colorful synonym "ultracrepidarian" (which also means "offering comments or opinions outside the realm of your own expertise").

You might talk about armchair things, like armchair comments, critiques, summaries, analyses, diagnoses, or recommendations.

Or, talk about armchair fields, like armchair athleticism, travel, or psychology.

Or, talk about armchair types of people, like armchair athletes, travelers, or psychologists.

"I will attempt to discover human 'truths' without any laboratory work, clinical trials or data collection. I will be, in the great tradition of 16th-century scientists, an Armchair Expert." 
— Dax Shepard; Armchair Expert; undated, possibly 2018

"[Failure Is An Option: An Attempted Memoir] is an unusual self-help book in the annals of armchair psychiatry or motivational books."
— Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon, 31 May 2018

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If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "armchair," the adjective, without saying "unqualified" or "amateur."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "(Some app, website, book, show, game, or other thing) appeals to the armchair (type of person) in me."

Example 1: "The app Sky Map appeals to the armchair astronomer in me."

Example 2: "Monopoly appeals to the armchair cutthroat capitalist in me."

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

This month, our game is "Smorgasbord of Wordly Lore!"

Try a trivia question each day. It’ll have something to do with a food or a drink. You can play on hard mode by answering the question cold, or play on easy mode by highlighting the multiple choice options. To see the correct answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!

Try this one today: The word "bribe" came into English from an Old French one that meant, in its most literal sense, a piece of what kind of food?

Highlight below to reveal the multiple choice options.…
A. meat
B. bread
C. candy

review this word:

1. Opposites of ARMCHAIR, the adjective, could be

A. WILTED and EXHAUSTED.
B. TRAINED and CERTIFIED.
C. RECKLESS and IRRESPONSIBLE.

2. An armchair therapist _____.

A. charges far too much per hour
B. has no license and no expertise
C. recommends only practical behavioral interventions

Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. B Answer to the game question: bread

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.