as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
an unwieldy machine that requires two people to operate it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwieldy
An unwieldy game can have unforeseeable consequences.
—
George Caulkin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Beyond sanctions, some courts that have encountered this issue have taken some limited steps to curb unwieldy AI lawsuits, for example requiring that all parties disclose when documents are AI-generated.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026
The software is very limited and unwieldy, though.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
This is an ambitious film that walks up to the edge of being unwieldy, but Mendonça holds it together and delivers something genuinely unique to the film landscape.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
George Caulkin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Beyond sanctions, some courts that have encountered this issue have taken some limited steps to curb unwieldy AI lawsuits, for example requiring that all parties disclose when documents are AI-generated.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026
The software is very limited and unwieldy, though.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
This is an ambitious film that walks up to the edge of being unwieldy, but Mendonça holds it together and delivers something genuinely unique to the film landscape.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwieldy
Adjective
-
Even young Oklahoma City required a clumsy postseason audition.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The driver and his accomplice then mounted a clumsy getaway that resulted in their scooter crashing about three blocks from the scene, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Mary Washington’s Kye Robinson attempted an awkward, off-balance shot that missed the rim and landed in the hands of teammate Colin Mitchell under the basket.—
Michael Cunningham,
AJC.com,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Porsha shuts down any further messy conversations, choosing instead to focus on being a good host, ending the night with an awkward kiss with her fake boyfriend.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The compact electromagnetic launcher features a 12-inch barrel and is light enough to be comfortably held and operated with one hand, allowing for greater mobility and ease of use in tight or urban environments where traditional firearms or larger coil guns would be cumbersome.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Apr. 2026
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The researchers received the feedback in a meeting with FDA reviewers to discuss a potential study of custom treatments using prime editors, a more complex and cumbersome gene editing technology that can treat a much wider range of genetic misspellings.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In its back-to-back knottiness, the album takes on an ungainly quality that, deliberate or not, sets up roadblocks to prolonged enjoyment.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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The situation has grown so ungainly and untenable that, if Silicon Valley is merely forced to slow down, the viability of all this spending will likely be called into question in ways that could be devastating for many.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Correspondence was at the very least clunky, and at most, reckless.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
If a process feels clunky, those advance preparations could give you time to come up with a new way of doing things that works better for everyone.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwieldy. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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