1
as in awkward
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
diamond cutting is no job for a clumsy person
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncoordinated
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
a clumsy bow clumsy on the dance floor
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3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
felt clumsy in the unfamiliar uniform
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4
as in inexperienced
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a clumsy joke
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5
as in cumbersome
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
a clumsy contraption, but it got the job done
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6
as in rude
hastily or roughly constructed
a clumsy mock-up of the real thing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clumsy
Each additional finger adds mass, increasing the chances that fingers will collide, and making overall movement more clumsy.
—
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
Tommy’s job problems also wrap up in somewhat clumsy but interesting fashion.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2026
As a clumsy child, my mom would repeatedly tell me to be aware of my surroundings.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
In their cancellation statement this morning, lingering ALF leadership issued Abdel-Fattah an apology for the clumsy ousting and subsequent fallout.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
Tommy’s job problems also wrap up in somewhat clumsy but interesting fashion.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2026
As a clumsy child, my mom would repeatedly tell me to be aware of my surroundings.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
In their cancellation statement this morning, lingering ALF leadership issued Abdel-Fattah an apology for the clumsy ousting and subsequent fallout.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
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The image became a meme, repeatedly used to portray Miliband as awkward.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The communication was straightforward and a bit awkward, sadly missing the mentions of Nancy Guthrie’s humanity that had peppered the family’s first video.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Every one of these new bits of hardware introduced a new set of uncoordinated chatter of alarms that simply produced noise.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Woody was a slightly uncoordinated and not-so-strong cowboy cop who relied more on his sense of humor than his brawn.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Starmer fired Mandelson in September after a tranche of emails revealed uncomfortable details about his ties to Epstein.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Also, some users reported that rocks, mud and other softer substances get caught in the holes of the sole, making walking uncomfortable.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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One approach is to reform outdated and cumbersome permitting processes so clean energy projects, such as for solar and wind power — along with more transmission lines — can be added to our grid more quickly.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The legislative process is cumbersome and messy, but ultimately it is shaped by 535 lawmakers’ opinions from districts and states across the nation.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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To do so would be rude, politically perilous, insulting to our biggest trade partner and just plain weird.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The interactions would last 30 seconds, maybe, and no one was rude.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The movie begins in 1989, when Martin was just out of her teens and fighting in Toughwoman contests, and spans 22 years, providing all sorts of opportunities for ungainly period hairstyles, from a ragged pageboy to a curly mullet to a frizzy shag.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
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All loads easier than wrangling an ungainly bird half the table doesn’t really much care for anyway (what?—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Stage’s version translates the already uneasy feelings of hearing acid house reduced to happy-go-lucky plastic into something out of an actual acid trip.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Feb. 2026
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Bashar is on the left, his body slightly angled away, his face uneasy.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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One proposal for adapting the Winter Games to a warmer world is to merge the Olympics and Paralympics, although this could make the event unwieldy.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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The two leaders were former allies who later became embroiled in bruising political disputes, deepening divisions in one of Asia's most unwieldy democracies.—
JIM GOMEZ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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