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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clumsy
Tree often performed as his alter ego, Turbo, a clumsy, scooter-loving daredevil known for his signature bowl cut haircut, oversized JNCO jeans, and vibrant windbreaker jackets.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
This layout makes the monitor a natural fit for high-traffic environments like banking counters, medical reception desks, and service queues where traditional screen-sharing is often clumsy or compromises privacy.
—New Atlas, 8 June 2026
After the zapfest on Earth, the anti-climactic tussle between the forces of good and evil occurs back on Eternia, where He-Man and his nemesis cross swords in a clumsy fight that’s not only predictable but also photographed and edited poorly.
—Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
The simple walking pattern adopted by fish, which the Cambridge researchers call an ‘undulating tripod gait’, can appear to be quite clumsy and involves too much flopping.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
This layout makes the monitor a natural fit for high-traffic environments like banking counters, medical reception desks, and service queues where traditional screen-sharing is often clumsy or compromises privacy.
—New Atlas, 8 June 2026
After the zapfest on Earth, the anti-climactic tussle between the forces of good and evil occurs back on Eternia, where He-Man and his nemesis cross swords in a clumsy fight that’s not only predictable but also photographed and edited poorly.
—Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
The simple walking pattern adopted by fish, which the Cambridge researchers call an ‘undulating tripod gait’, can appear to be quite clumsy and involves too much flopping.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
-
Your 2nd House of Finances hits an awkward angle as the nurturing Moon quincunxes ambitious Mars in your 9th House of Travel and Learning.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
-
But that doesn’t mean there still aren’t some awkward moments.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
Much of this is vibrational motion, which is random and uncoordinated.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
-
European powers responded with waves of uncoordinated border closures and trade restrictions that caused enormous economic damage without reliably stopping transmission.—
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The conclusions from these findings are both uncomfortable and freeing.—
Savanah F.S. Bray,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
-
Francisco Lindor is injured, and other guys just look uncomfortable.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
And though there are no tariffs imposed on British goods entering the EU, there is a raft of non-tariff barriers, such as cumbersome customs paperwork, border certifications, and visa restrictions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 June 2026
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With a Brush Head Heavy electric vacuums can be extremely cumbersome to use on furniture, and their handy attachments often don’t cover enough fabric at a time.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.—
Claudia Fisher,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2026
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Many of these terms were meant as insults and were – and remain today – tremendously rude, but others reflect the bewilderment of trying to categorize people who don’t fit into standard categories easily.—
Ky Merkley,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Seydoux tromps through the film with a masculine heaviness — a sense of dysphoria that translates to her character’s ungainly bearing.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
As the nation gears up to celebrate its 250th birthday, most Americans feel uneasy about their present, and pessimistic about their future, polls show.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
-
Sanders takes an uneasy step, into his wonderful, painful childhood.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
The anxieties, the mess, the whole unwieldy tapestry of the celebration has nothing at all to do with me.—
Bobby Finger
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
An organization with the unwieldy name of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing — NASCAR — was born.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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