1
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
getting the ungainly couch up the stairs was a real chore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
the tree cutter was crushing any unlucky petunias that lay in the path of his ungainly tread
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ungainly
All signatory state parties would have to agree to add a new pathogen (or new type of organism of concern) to the convention, an ungainly process of herding cats that could make this effort hard to achieve.
—
Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
On the other, the quick and almost casual way in which Kirsh runs through what he’s figured out is emblematic of an ungainly episode that seems in a rush to get through a lot of things, especially where the Xenomorph is concerned.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
The cornerstones of maps’ data pools are satellite images and a tireless fleet of Street View cars that roam with ungainly camera hats, constantly refreshing neighborhood-level detail.
—Sonya Bennett-Brandt, AFAR Media, 25 June 2025
The resulting Cheetah was, frankly, an ungainly machine, more like an oversized four-wheel ATV than a Ford Bronco or Mercedes G-Wagen.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
On the other, the quick and almost casual way in which Kirsh runs through what he’s figured out is emblematic of an ungainly episode that seems in a rush to get through a lot of things, especially where the Xenomorph is concerned.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
The cornerstones of maps’ data pools are satellite images and a tireless fleet of Street View cars that roam with ungainly camera hats, constantly refreshing neighborhood-level detail.
—Sonya Bennett-Brandt, AFAR Media, 25 June 2025
The resulting Cheetah was, frankly, an ungainly machine, more like an oversized four-wheel ATV than a Ford Bronco or Mercedes G-Wagen.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungainly
Adjective
-
Threading that narrative in there, and getting all the clumsy beats and the awkward beats, felt like a continuation of the narrative.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Well accustomed to the bumps and bruises that come with playing defense at a high level, Thomas can look back with some humor at one of the ankle injuries, which was due to a clumsy play.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In July, a Coldplay concert jumbotron captured an awkward moment after panning to an embracing couple, who promptly unlocked arms and tried to dodge the camera.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
-
According to Fightful, Holland had an awkward landing during his match.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Leonora possesses an unwieldy, arch brand of femininity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Arafat led the Fatah movement and was the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization, a sometimes unwieldy umbrella group of various Palestinian factions, ranging from outright Marxist to avowedly Islamist and everything in between.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Bulsara was desperate to transform himself in that mold, to erase his recent past as a gawky, shy, bucktoothed kid .—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Crenshaw made fun of Davidson’s gawky stature and then called for respect for all veterans as well as first responders in the 9/11 attacks — one of whom was Davidson’s father.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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From scrunchies that secretly double as drink covers to zipper clips that stop pickpockets from opening your backpack, these viral finds prove that travel safety doesn’t have to be cumbersome or expensive.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Sep. 2025
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Big, cumbersome, and greasy, baking sheets can be a pain to clean and dry off.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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House of Guinness tends to be wise about the ways both business and family are built over an unsteady and ever-changing series of negotiations for power and status.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
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What the map did not show was that few hikers attempt this route due to its exposure and the extra time, water, and stamina required of a lengthy and strenuous Class II scramble up and down a trio of ever-taller unnamed 13,000-foot mountains of loose talus and unsteady granite blocks.—
Ted Katauskas,
Outside,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This echoes remarks his envoy Steve Witkoff made after the latest round of talks collapsed, slamming Hamas as uncoordinated and not acting in good faith and saying the US would explore alternative options to secure hostage release and stabilize Gaza.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
25 Aug. 2025
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Moreover, uncoordinated attacks, often by motivated individuals acting on their own, can still occur, as has happened in Israel since 2023.—
DANIEL BYMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungainly. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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