as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
she's far too handless to be good at needlework
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Recent Examples of handless
Twenty-five years after authorities discovered a headless and handless man in a Michigan cornfield, arrests have been made in connection to the grisly murder.
—
Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 26 Jan. 2023
Two brothers were arrested this week on murder charges in connection to a 1997 Michigan cold case in which a man's headless and handless body was found in a cornfield, authorities said.
—Erin Pflaumer, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2023
When asked what doctors and nurses on the front lines at Cincinnati Children's Hospital needed to keep the hospital cleaner, the answer was quick: handless door hooks.
—James Weber, Cincinnati.com, 7 Apr. 2020
Join us on deck for games such as handless doughnut eating, deadeye bowling and cauldron tossing.
—Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2017
Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 26 Jan. 2023
Two brothers were arrested this week on murder charges in connection to a 1997 Michigan cold case in which a man's headless and handless body was found in a cornfield, authorities said.
—Erin Pflaumer, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2023
When asked what doctors and nurses on the front lines at Cincinnati Children's Hospital needed to keep the hospital cleaner, the answer was quick: handless door hooks.
—James Weber, Cincinnati.com, 7 Apr. 2020
Join us on deck for games such as handless doughnut eating, deadeye bowling and cauldron tossing.
—Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handless
Adjective
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Perugino’s compositions tend to be clumsy in their parallels—two people on the left, two people on the right—and the skin typically looks like candle wax.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The collapse of the talks wasn’t the fault of bad faith or clumsy diplomacy.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Handless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handless. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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