1
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
getting the ungainly couch up the stairs was a real chore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
the tree cutter was crushing any unlucky petunias that lay in the path of his ungainly tread
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ungainly
The movie begins in 1989, when Martin was just out of her teens and fighting in Toughwoman contests, and spans 22 years, providing all sorts of opportunities for ungainly period hairstyles, from a ragged pageboy to a curly mullet to a frizzy shag.
—
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
All loads easier than wrangling an ungainly bird half the table doesn’t really much care for anyway (what?
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
When her rival, Poot’s Thea, arrives underdressed, Hedda forces her into a hideous frock with fussy bows and an ungainly skirt.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Despite their ungainly silhouettes and handling quirks, they were considered formidable gun platforms.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
All loads easier than wrangling an ungainly bird half the table doesn’t really much care for anyway (what?
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025
When her rival, Poot’s Thea, arrives underdressed, Hedda forces her into a hideous frock with fussy bows and an ungainly skirt.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Despite their ungainly silhouettes and handling quirks, they were considered formidable gun platforms.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungainly
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
-
From historic wins, like the first woman to win for cinematography and seventh-ever Oscar tie, to awkward silences to moving tributes and very, very long bits from host Conan O’Brien, the March 15 ceremony was emotional and eventful.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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During the acceptance speech for Two People Exchanging Saliva, an awkward moment occurred when the microphone started to descend and the camera shifted to host Conan O'Brien, who was still waiting for the speeches to end.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The software is very limited and unwieldy, though.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
12 Mar. 2026
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This is an ambitious film that walks up to the edge of being unwieldy, but Mendonça holds it together and delivers something genuinely unique to the film landscape.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Homeroom placement was designated by test scores, and Smith rightly recalled that her homeroom class with Tupac was filled by twenty-eight Black students — and a gawky white kid named William Yates.—
Jeff Pearlman,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
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Crenshaw made fun of Davidson’s gawky stature and then called for respect for all veterans as well as first responders in the 9/11 attacks — one of whom was Davidson’s father.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These restrictions were too cumbersome for most applications.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
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Its longer length offers a bit more coverage than a usual cropped raincoat, and is less cumbersome than a full-length trench.—
Alexandra Pereira,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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He's seen shirtless as the confrontation escalates, with both men appearing unsteady on their feet during the exchange.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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As a result, many Americans may lose benefits not because of an unwillingness to work, but because of complex rules and red tape, which are difficult to manage while juggling unsteady jobs, caregiving obligations or health issues.—
Jenn Finders,
The Conversation,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Somatic shaking can look a little different from one person to the next, but usually involves a few minutes of wildly uncoordinated jumping, arm flapping, and foot stomping.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ungainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungainly. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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