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
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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
The fourth calf happened to be in soft ground, on which a wolf is clumsy.
—
Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
But it’s played sincerely, so the visual contrast just makes the connection feel clumsy, if not outright absurd.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
McGee meets one of a clumsy TURF intern Pete, who is revealed to be Olivia's 18-year-old son, Matteo (Patrick Keleher) under interrogation.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Actors from Reiner’s movies gathered onstage — although the camera didn’t catch their faces, a sadly clumsy gaffe.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
But it’s played sincerely, so the visual contrast just makes the connection feel clumsy, if not outright absurd.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
McGee meets one of a clumsy TURF intern Pete, who is revealed to be Olivia's 18-year-old son, Matteo (Patrick Keleher) under interrogation.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Actors from Reiner’s movies gathered onstage — although the camera didn’t catch their faces, a sadly clumsy gaffe.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
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Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Cavaliere made headlines earlier this year by banning Chappell Roan from ever performing at the concert after the singer had an awkward encounter with the stepdaughter of Brazilian soccer player Jorginho.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is one of Washington’s enduring, if somewhat awkward, rituals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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For a quiet, uncoordinated kid, there was nothing cooler than a hero whose superpower was his imagination.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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After consulting with the Ravens’ team physician — and those of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants — DeCosta became uncomfortable with the prognosis.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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No longer in the context of the coffee shop, the manager looked uncomfortable and out of place, his power diminished, an average guy in a bad suit, who had had to take time off from his job to come downtown to a federal office in an Art Deco building.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the point stands that the means to make a movie—once cumbersome and expensive—now fits in the palm of your hand.—
Dennis Lim,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Unfortunately, clear aquarium-style cages can be heavy and cumbersome to move.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But no, the friend is not being rude.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
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In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In its back-to-back knottiness, the album takes on an ungainly quality that, deliberate or not, sets up roadblocks to prolonged enjoyment.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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The situation has grown so ungainly and untenable that, if Silicon Valley is merely forced to slow down, the viability of all this spending will likely be called into question in ways that could be devastating for many.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even after filling several roster holes in the NFL Draft, the Dolphins exited the weekend with a glaring need at safety and an uneasy situation on the edge, at wide receiver and at tight end.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
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Forced into an uneasy alliance with a sharp-witted poacher living on the margins of society (Kellyman), the two women fight back, turning their powerlessness into strength through violence, wit, and defiance.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The poor equipment manager was struggling with the unwieldy block.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The high court did not opine on the process of refunds, and government officials at first suggested the process could prove unwieldy.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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