cumbersome

adjective cum·ber·some \ ˈkəm-bər-səm \

Updated on: 16 May 2018

Definition of cumbersome

1 : unwieldy because of heaviness and bulk

a cumbersome package

2 : slow-moving : ponderous

cumbersome administrative procedures

3 dialect : burdensome, troublesome

—

cumbersomely

adverb

—

cumbersomeness

noun

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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

Moving sidewalks would be nice as access to the train at times is cumbersome.

— miamiherald, "Enjoying the journey has been made easier, thanks to MIA’s recent improvements | Miami Herald," 4 May 2018
Condoms can be cumbersome, vasectomies require more surgery to reverse, and pulling out is, well, not exactly a reliable form of birth control.

— julia belluz, Vox, "A pill, a gel, and a nonsurgical vasectomy are making their way through clinical trials.," 4 May 2018
The process to get information about app services, however, is a bit more cumbersome, the detective said.

— courtney astolfi, cleveland.com, "How have missing persons investigations in Cleveland changed since Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were found?," 3 May 2018
The memos outlined a cumbersome seven-step ordering process that required inmates to submit their requests with the book title, author — and esoteric 13-digit ISBN number of each volume.

— Washington Post, "Federal prisons abruptly cancel policy that made it harder, costlier for inmates to get books," 3 May 2018
The eviction process for public housing is cumbersome, involving a meeting, a grievance panel hearing, and ultimately a hearing in Suffolk Housing Court.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Everyone pays for this South Boston Airbnb deal," 1 May 2018
The idea is that using a commercial brokerage will allow prospective tenants to bypass what is normally a cumbersome, bureaucratic process for submitting a restaurant proposal.

— lori weisberg, sandiegouniontribune.com, "UC San Diego ups its dining offerings by going local," 27 Mar. 2018
These subplots, despite sometimes risking being cumbersome and distracting, broaden the story’s scope, and add more layers to the main characters.

— fan wu, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Bury What We Cannot Take,’ by Kirstin Chen," 21 Mar. 2018
But the process is cumbersome, relying on a scattered series of records, many of which might be transcribed only on paper.

— jeff john roberts, Fortune, "IBM Blockchain Is Tracking Diamond Rings Across the Globe," 26 Apr. 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1535

in the meaning defined at sense 3

See Words from the same year

cumbersome Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of cumbersome

heavy, weighty, ponderous, cumbrous, cumbersome mean having great weight. heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.