Entry Word: clumsy

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 lacking in physical ease and grace in movement or in the use of the hands <diamond cutting is no job for a clumsy person>

Synonyms awkward, gawky, graceless, heavy-handed, lubberly, lumbering, lumpish, ungainly, unhandy

Related Words butterfingered, uncoordinated; oafish; bungling, gauche, inept, inexpert, maladroit, unskilled, unskillful; cumbersome, unwieldy

Near Antonyms expert, masterly, skilled, skillful; lissome (also lissom), lithe, nimble; light, light-footed, surefooted

Antonyms deft, dexterous (also dextrous), graceful, handy

2 lacking social grace and assurance <felt clumsy in the unfamiliar uniform> — see awkward 1
3 showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) <a clumsy joke> — see awkward 2
4 difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design <a clumsy contraption, but it got the job done> — see cumbersome
5 hastily or roughly constructed <a clumsy mock-up of the real thing> — see rude 1