unwieldy

adjective

un·​wieldy ˌən-ˈwēl-dē 

: not easily managed, handled, or used (as because of bulk, weight, complexity, or awkwardness) : cumbersome

trying to carry a large, unwieldy box

unwieldily

ˌən-ˈwēl-də-lē 

adverb

unwieldiness

ˌən-ˈwēl-dē-nəs 

noun

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The Difference Between Wieldy and Unwieldy

The verb to wield means "to handle or exert something effectively." A carpenter might wield a hammer with impressive dexterity, for example, or a talented orator might wield influence over an audience of listeners. Something that is "wieldy" is capable of being wielded easily, and while that adjective may not be particularly common, its antonym "unwieldy" finds ample use to describe anything that is awkward to handle, move, or manage. "Wield" and its relatives all derive via Middle English from Old English wieldan, meaning "to control."

Synonyms of unwieldy

• clumsy
• awkward
• cumbersome
• ungainly
• clunky

Examples of unwieldy in a Sentence

The system is outdated and unwieldy.

an unwieldy machine that requires two people to operate it

Recent Examples on the Web

The joint bid, of course, was somewhat unwieldy. —Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025

The result is four unwieldy conferences with unbalanced schedules that make teams incredibly difficult to compare with one another. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 2 Dec. 2025

Maybe there’s too much chaos to contend with, or too much expense, or illness, or just life piling up in its usual, unwieldy way. —Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Nov. 2025

Gass, who took over as CEO in 2024, has been driving a course correction focused on transformation, streamlining the business and reducing unwieldy inventory. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

unwieldy

adjective

un·​wieldy ˌən-ˈwē(ə)l-dē 

ˈən-

: not easily handled or managed because of size or weight : awkward, cumbersome

an unwieldy tool