cumbersome
adjective
cum·ber·some
ˈkəm-bər-səm 
1
: unwieldy because of heaviness and bulk
a cumbersome package
2
: slow-moving : ponderous
cumbersome administrative procedures
3
dialect
: burdensome, troublesome
cumbersomely
adverb
cumbersomeness
noun
Examples of cumbersome in a Sentence
Squad members, already decked out in cumbersome chemical suits, put on masks and rubber gloves.
—
Ray Wilkinson, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 1991
He got the approval of the higher-ups, but the course was scuttled by members of his own department, who devised all kinds of cumbersome, silly requirements and prerequisites.
—Alice Munro, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 1989
He cut some segments of the 2" pine but discovered that … a cumbersome system of braces would be needed to hold the sides straight.
—John Updike, Couples, 1968
The application process is cumbersome and time-consuming.
Her expanded job title is really cumbersome.
Ray Wilkinson, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 1991
He got the approval of the higher-ups, but the course was scuttled by members of his own department, who devised all kinds of cumbersome, silly requirements and prerequisites.
—Alice Munro, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 1989
He cut some segments of the 2" pine but discovered that … a cumbersome system of braces would be needed to hold the sides straight.
—John Updike, Couples, 1968
The application process is cumbersome and time-consuming.
Her expanded job title is really cumbersome.
Recent Examples on the Web
After installing the upgrades, federal customers would be effectively locked in, because shifting to a competitor after the free trial would be cumbersome and costly.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 6 Apr. 2026
The compact electromagnetic launcher features a 12-inch barrel and is light enough to be comfortably held and operated with one hand, allowing for greater mobility and ease of use in tight or urban environments where traditional firearms or larger coil guns would be cumbersome.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
The researchers received the feedback in a meeting with FDA reviewers to discuss a potential study of custom treatments using prime editors, a more complex and cumbersome gene editing technology that can treat a much wider range of genetic misspellings.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026
There are ear cut-outs so the cap fits comfortably, shaping your ear so there is no tension near that cumbersome area that often gets irritated.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cumbersome
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Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 6 Apr. 2026
The compact electromagnetic launcher features a 12-inch barrel and is light enough to be comfortably held and operated with one hand, allowing for greater mobility and ease of use in tight or urban environments where traditional firearms or larger coil guns would be cumbersome.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
The researchers received the feedback in a meeting with FDA reviewers to discuss a potential study of custom treatments using prime editors, a more complex and cumbersome gene editing technology that can treat a much wider range of genetic misspellings.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026
There are ear cut-outs so the cap fits comfortably, shaping your ear so there is no tension near that cumbersome area that often gets irritated.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cumbersome
Cite this Entry
“Cumbersome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cumbersome. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cumbersome
adjective
cum·ber·some
ˈkəm-bər-səm
: hard to handle or manage because of size or weight
cumbersomely
adverb
cumbersomeness
noun
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