clumsy

adjective

clum·​sy ˈkləm-zē 

clumsier; clumsiest

1

a

: lacking dexterity, nimbleness, or grace

clumsy fingers

b

: lacking tact or subtlety

a clumsy joke

2

: awkward or inefficient in use or construction : unwieldy

a clumsy contraption

criticized her sentence for its clumsy construction

clumsily

ˈkləm-zə-lē 

adverb

clumsiness

ˈkləm-zē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of clumsy

• awkward

Choose the Right Synonym for clumsy

awkward, clumsy, maladroit, inept, gauche mean not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct).

awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact.

periods of awkward silence

clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill.

a clumsy mechanic

maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations.

a maladroit politician

inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy.

a hopelessly inept defense attorney

gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding.

felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties

Examples of clumsy in a Sentence

I'm sorry about spilling your wine—that was very clumsy of me.

I have very clumsy hands and tend to drop things.

She made a clumsy attempt at a joke.

Recent Examples on the Web

In ancient times, the taltos, who originated in the very north of today's Scotland, tended to be rather clumsy and childlike. —Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025

Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius is clumsy and chaotic, yes… but also philosophical. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025

For starters, even at 4 mm by 4 mm, the Utah array would be too big and clumsy a hunk of hardware for Science to implant in the eye or Synchron to thread through a vein. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Nov. 2025

What resulted is one of the most comic, counterproductive, and clumsy episodes in the long history of British efforts to deal with Ireland. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from obsolete English clumse benumbed with cold

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

clumsy

adjective

clum·​sy ˈkləm-zē 

clumsier; clumsiest

1

a

: lacking skill or grace in movement

clumsy fingers

b

: showing social awkwardness or a lack of tact

a clumsy attempt at a joke

2

: awkwardly or poorly made : hard to use

a clumsy tool

clumsily

-zə-lē 

adverb

clumsiness

-zē-nəs 

noun