unwieldy
adjective
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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."
Examples of unwieldy in a Sentence
Anya M. Galli Robertson, The Conversation, 21 Nov. 2025
Its smaller size makes the Gallardo easier to use on real-world roads, while conventional doors—rather than unwieldy scissor-style contraptions—allow normal ingress/egress, and once inside, even tall drivers can see and function with relative ease.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2025
Expansion has only magnified those challenges, adding more actors and contradictions to an already unwieldy organization.
—Oliver Stuenkel, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025
His is a wily, chaotic, satirical and sincere, temptingly unwieldy epic drama.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwieldy. Accessed 23 Nov. 2025.
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unwieldy
adjective
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