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Definition of cumbersome
1 dialect : burdensome, troublesome
2 : unwieldy because of heaviness and bulk a cumbersome package
3 : slow-moving : ponderous cumbersome administrative procedures
cumbersomely
adverbcumbersomeness
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of cumbersome in a Sentence
Squad members, already decked out in cumbersome chemical suits, put on masks and rubber gloves. —Ray Wilkinson, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 1991
He got the approval of the higher-ups, but the course was scuttled by members of his own department, who devised all kinds of cumbersome, silly requirements and prerequisites. —Alice Munro, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 1989
He cut some segments of the 2" pine but discovered that … a cumbersome system of braces would be needed to hold the sides straight. —John Updike, Couples, 1968
The application process is cumbersome and time-consuming.
Her expanded job title is really cumbersome.
Recent Examples of cumbersome from the Web
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But the process for securing such forgiveness can be cumbersome.
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Participants say trading became too expensive and cumbersome with new rules imposed to avoid another financial crisis.
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They're surrounded by equally flourishing spinach, zucchini and pea plants all developed through hours of careful work — which could seem cumbersome to new gardeners, but not to Holmes.
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But there is no doubt that this election process is cumbersome.
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Yet infrastructure projects are cumbersome to design, finance and implement, while the benefits follow with a lag.
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Leventhal, who like Elrich is term-limited, said the paperwork can be cumbersome.
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This proved to be cumbersome and was changed to a one-step system — just pay and go, Garfield said.
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The chants at the D.C. march were clever and cumbersome, taking wonky and specific aim at what the protesters believe have been White House attempts to cover up its connections with the Russian government.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cumbersome'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of cumbersome
see 1cumber
Synonym Discussion of cumbersome
CUMBERSOME Defined for English Language Learners
cumbersome
playDefinition of cumbersome for English Language Learners
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: hard to handle or manage because of size or weight
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: complicated and hard to do
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: long and difficult to read, say, etc.
CUMBERSOME Defined for Kids
cumbersome
playDefinition of cumbersome for Students
: hard to handle or manage because of size or weight
Learn More about cumbersome
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cumbersome Spanish Central: Translation of cumbersome Nglish: Translation of cumbersome for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cumbersome for Arabic speakers
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