cumbersome
adjective
cum·ber·some
ˈkəm-bər-səm 
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
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.
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 on the Web
Yesterday’s executive order instructs a set of federal agencies to identify state AI regulations that could be deemed cumbersome and then take action against those policies, such as through litigation or conditioning federal funding on not enacting or enforcing the policies.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
American tourists still feel to me like a liberation army that got stuck in its pattern of conquering and inventorying and now, almost a century in, has grown cumbersome, bloated, unhelpful.
—Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
These cumbersome vehicles — a sort of giant bus elevated on hydraulics — became a talking point for the President’s cabinet meeting after a crash last month injured more than a dozen people.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Denver’s planning and permitting process is slow and cumbersome, and building in a historic district adds additional complications.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cumbersome
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Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
American tourists still feel to me like a liberation army that got stuck in its pattern of conquering and inventorying and now, almost a century in, has grown cumbersome, bloated, unhelpful.
—Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
These cumbersome vehicles — a sort of giant bus elevated on hydraulics — became a talking point for the President’s cabinet meeting after a crash last month injured more than a dozen people.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Denver’s planning and permitting process is slow and cumbersome, and building in a historic district adds additional complications.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cumbersome
Cite this Entry
“Cumbersome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cumbersome. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cumbersome
adjective
cum·ber·some
ˈkəm-bər-səm
: hard to handle or manage because of size or weight
cumbersomely
adverb
cumbersomeness
noun
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