as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner the kind of gawkish girl who trips while receiving her high school diploma

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gawkish
Adjective
  • While there is little doubt about the outcome of the Fed meeting, there are still questions over who exactly will be voting—setting up some very awkward dynamics.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2025
  • This leaves the broader discourse around Kirk’s assassination in an awkward position, deprived of the certainty that so many crave.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The rubber sole is also important for clumsy gals like myself.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Camels seem slow, hippos clumsy, phoenixes unstable, lions lazy.
    Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Bator cites both external factors (such as geopolitical conflicts or the unsteady global economy) and internal ones (such as burnout and uncertainty).
    Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • On the game’s fourth play, the Michigan transfer got up after a 3-yard rush on a keeper and wobbled off the field on unsteady legs.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gawkish. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!