1
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
getting the ungainly couch up the stairs was a real chore
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
the tree cutter was crushing any unlucky petunias that lay in the path of his ungainly tread
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ungainly
And yet, within quarter of a century, this ungainly apparatus had established itself as a vital pillar of global governance.
—
Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Melbourne, Australia — An ungainly barrel of a shark cruising languidly over a barren seabed far too deep for the sun's rays to illuminate was an unexpected sight.
—CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Melbourne, Australia — An ungainly barrel of a shark cruising languidly over a barren seabed far too deep for the sun's rays to illuminate was an unexpected sight.
—CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungainly
Adjective
-
But less fine is Kreutzer’s decision to make Kühn’s own domestic challenges a parallel story, set up in clumsy counterpoint with Lucy’s.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
Salmonflies, however, are bigger and clumsier than smaller insects like mayflies.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
After her death, Riley read her diaries, an awkward experience at times.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
On-screen, Armitage’s portrayal of the socially awkward Sheldon has earned him critical acclaim.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
And setting up a new one could be even more difficult and unwieldy.—
Los Angeles Times,
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
Adjective
-
These were held at high schools filled with gawky kids in suits that always fit badly but never in the same way: the tie was too long, the pants or the skirt too small, the jacket was borrowed from an older sibling.—
Eli Durst,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Somehow, McCarthy’s assurance makes these clichés seem new again, donning them as naturally as O’Connell’s gawky bellboy wearing an old-fashioned red cap.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Around James and Anthony Davis — who, fun fact, made just $27 million that season before agreeing to a historic and more cumbersome three-year extension — the Lakers had shooters who could defend, like Danny Green.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Plus, cages can be more cumbersome to store over the winter than stakes.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Medical staff who treated Paul say he was clearly intoxicated, slurring his speech and unsteady on his feet.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
13 May 2026
-
In a half hour or so, the newborn gathers itself and stands unsteady on wobbly legs.—
Susan Koch,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Beyond communication, the county has been too slow and uncoordinated in helping communities rebuild.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
The country had lost a generation of promising students and researchers during World War I; its universities were teaching math in uncoordinated, fragmented ways, using materials that were woefully out of date.—
Leila Sloman,
Quanta Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ungainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungainly. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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