awkward

1 lacking social grace and assurance <preteens feeling awkward at their first formal dance> Synonyms clumsy, gauche, graceless, inelegant, rough-hewn, rustic (also rustical), stiff, stilted, uncomfortable, uneasy, ungraceful, wooden Related Words angular, gawky, lubberly, ungainly; boorish, clownish, uncouth; abashed, discomfited, discomforted, discomposed, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed; self-conscious; agitated, bothered, chagrined, dismayed, disquieted, distressed, disturbed, fazed, flustered, jittery, jumpy, mortified, nervous, nonplussed (also nonplused), perturbed, rattled, unhinged, unsettled, upset; diffident, insecure, meek, modest, self-doubting, timid, unassertive, unassuming, unpretentious Near Antonyms assured, calm, collected, composed, confident, cool, placid, poised, secure, self-assured, self-confident, self-possessed, serene, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed Antonyms graceful, suave, urbane

2 showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) <her awkward handling of the seating arrangements at the wedding reception resulted in many hurt feelings> Synonyms botched, bungling, clumsy, fumbled, inept, inexpert, maladroit Related Words amateur, amateurish, crude, green, incompetent, ineffectual, inefficient, inexperienced, unpolished, unprofessional, unskilled, unskillful; careless, sloppy, tacky, tactless, undiplomatic; ill-advised, ineffective, ineffectual, misdirected, misguided Near Antonyms able, accomplished, adept, capable, clever, competent, consummate, crackerjack, expert, masterful, masterly, polished, professional, proficient, skilled, skillful, talented; diplomatic, easy, effortless, gracious, smooth, tactful Antonyms adroit, deft, dexterous (also dextrous), facile

3 causing embarrassment <the awkward situation of having to listen as your host and hostess quarrel loudly in the next room> Synonyms discomfiting, disconcerting, disturbing, embarrassing, flustering, uncomfortable Related Words confusing, difficult, disagreeable, impossible, inconvenient, intolerable, troublesome, unpleasant, unwieldy; unsettling; debasing, degrading, demeaning, humbling, humiliating, mortifying Near Antonyms agreeable, comfortable, convenient, pleasing

4 causing difficulty, discomfort, or annoyance <our surprise guests came at a very awkward time> Synonyms inconvenient, discommoding, disobliging, incommodingRelated Words bothersome, burdensome, onerous, troublesome; annoying, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nagging, nettlesome, riling, vexatious, vexingNear Antonyms acceptable, bearable, endurable, sufferable, tolerable; advantageous, desirable, good, helpfulAntonyms convenient, ultraconvenient

5 difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design <that manual can opener is awkward to hold> Synonyms cumbersome, bunglesome, clumsy, clunky, cranky, cumbrous, ponderous, ungainly, unhandy, unwieldyRelated Words uncontrollable, unmanageable; bulky, dinosaurian, dinosauric, elephantine, heavy, hulking, massive; impracticable, impracticalNear Antonyms functional, practicable, practical, serviceable, usefulAntonyms handy

6 having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner <an awkward person who is always tripping over herself> Synonyms clumsy, gawkish, gawky, graceless, klutzy, uncoordinated, ungainlyRelated Words galumphing, larruping [dialect], lubberly, lumbering, lumpish, shambling, shuffling, unsteady, wobbly (also wabbly)Near Antonyms light, light-footed (also light-foot), lissome (also lissom), lithe, nimble, sure-footedAntonyms coordinated, graceful

7 lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands <an awkward catch of a fly ball> Synonyms clumsy, butterfingered, cack-handed [British], graceless, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed, maladroit, unhandyRelated Words uncoordinated; bunglesome, bungling, gauche, inept, inexpert, unskilled, unskillfulNear Antonyms expert, masterly, skilled, skillful; coordinatedAntonyms deft, dexterous (also dextrous), handy, sure-handed