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
Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Another two or three drafts of distillation is exactly what the unwieldy Parallel Tales could have used.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
The pleasantly buzzy ballroom, cast in semi-dimmed lighting, filled with excited chatter and clinking silverware, felt like a slightly unwieldy wedding reception.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
Instead, government continues to grow at an alarming pace, into an unwieldy monster, impossibly big and unmanageable and expensive.
—Kevin Fixler
may 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 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 21 May. 2026.
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unwieldy
adjective
