gawky

adjective

ˈgȯ-kē 

gawkier; gawkiest

: awkward, clumsy

a gawky adolescent

gawkily

ˈgȯ-kə-lē 

adverb

gawkiness noun

gawky noun

Synonyms of gawky

• clumsy
• awkward
• ungainly
• uncoordinated
• klutzy
• unsteady

Examples of gawky in a Sentence

the stiff, gawky gait of a newborn colt

Recent Examples on the Web

Or gawky characters, all angular bone structures and willowy limbs? — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 3 July 2026

That's thanks in large part to Hathaway's winning turn as Mia Thermopolis, a gawky teenager who discovers that her estranged grandmother (Julie Andrews) is actually the queen of a small country. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 5 May 2026

Somehow, McCarthy’s assurance makes these clichés seem new again, donning them as naturally as O’Connell’s gawky bellboy wearing an old-fashioned red cap. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Played in full, Silent Way induces a pervasive nausea, reveling in gawky soundscapes that seem barely able to contain their outsized, clashing ideas. — Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

gawk entry 1 + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gawky

• blocky
• chalky
• cocky
• hockey
• jockey
• khaki
• machi
• maki
• rocky
• stocky
• talkie
• walkie

Kids Definition

gawky

adjective

ˈgȯ-kē 

gawkier; gawkiest

: awkward sense 2, clumsy

gawkily

-kə-lē 

adverb

gawkiness

-kē-nəs

noun