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
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 27 June 2025
Because of the pandemic, multiple Hollywood strikes, and turmoil at Marvel Studios, it’s taken four and a half years for the show to materialize, though Thorne played the character in 2022’s unwieldy Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
In any event, Kern eventually gave up growing Gros Michel due to its unwieldy hands, but was able to pass along its legacy to an eager horticulturist who had traveled a long distance for the many pups or offsets that her plant had produced.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 June 2025
Media is a big, unwieldy word, and in this day and age, it’s never been harder to convince someone that the guy with an X account peddling memes for likes is not playing by the same rules as the reporter who wants to ask about the bogey on 18.
—Hugh Kellenberger, New York Times, 15 June 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 30 Jun. 2025.
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unwieldy
adjective
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