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
Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Gleeson, Frei, Key, Gregg, and Young are very good, too (although many of their castmates get lost in the unwieldy ensemble).
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
The MaraX’s steam wand is powerful without being unwieldy, and our testers felt in control when texturing both dairy and oat milk.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
At any rate, the Scar’s display quality is top-notch, and the spacious 16-inch screen is perfect for laptop gaming without the unwieldy size of an 18-inch system.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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unwieldy
adjective
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