unwieldy
adjective
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The Difference Between Wieldy and Unwieldy
The verb to wield means "to handle or exert something effectively." A carpenter might wield a hammer with impressive dexterity, for example, or a talented orator might wield influence over an audience of listeners. Something that is "wieldy" is capable of being wielded easily, and while that adjective may not be particularly common, its antonym "unwieldy" finds ample use to describe anything that is awkward to handle, move, or manage. "Wield" and its relatives all derive via Middle English from Old English wieldan, meaning "to control."
Examples of unwieldy in a Sentence
Tc Sottek, The Verge, 27 May 2026
They are celebrated in one era as the pinnacle of capital allocation and condemned in the next as an unwieldy collection of unrelated assets.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Prune back any unwieldy branches with these popular shears, which have sold 40,000 times in the past month.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2026
And setting up a new one could be even more difficult and unwieldy.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwieldy. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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unwieldy
adjective
