1
as in clumsily
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2
as in ungracefully
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Recent Examples of awkwardly
Images from his past are spliced together abruptly and rather awkwardly, an apt representation of the way his trauma continues to torment him.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
In 2024, two players landed awkwardly on his knee, causing a torn MCL in the season opener.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Gomez landed awkwardly on his right knee in the first half of Brighton’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 1 June 2026
In a video posted on social media by Boston reporter Marlee Wierda, Stevenson's left leg can be seen bending awkwardly as Rife lost his balance trying to run to second base during the rundown.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
But Baptiste was forced to retire during her second-round singles against Wang Xiyu on Wednesday after landing awkwardly on her left leg late in the first set.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
George landed awkwardly and limped to the dugout in obvious pain, slamming his helmet to the ground.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
The home, GameChat, and screenshot buttons are placed awkwardly, and not everyone will dig the design or the gritty texture on the grips.
—Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, 28 May 2026
Not that romance, here, means anything beyond hand-holding and giggling while awkwardly staring into each other’s eyes.
—Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 25 May 2026
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
In 2024, two players landed awkwardly on his knee, causing a torn MCL in the season opener.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Gomez landed awkwardly on his right knee in the first half of Brighton’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 1 June 2026
In a video posted on social media by Boston reporter Marlee Wierda, Stevenson's left leg can be seen bending awkwardly as Rife lost his balance trying to run to second base during the rundown.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
But Baptiste was forced to retire during her second-round singles against Wang Xiyu on Wednesday after landing awkwardly on her left leg late in the first set.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
George landed awkwardly and limped to the dugout in obvious pain, slamming his helmet to the ground.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
The home, GameChat, and screenshot buttons are placed awkwardly, and not everyone will dig the design or the gritty texture on the grips.
—Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, 28 May 2026
Not that romance, here, means anything beyond hand-holding and giggling while awkwardly staring into each other’s eyes.
—Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awkwardly
Adverb
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Social-media platforms are filled with short-form videos that clumsily grapple with stigmas surrounding height supremacy.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
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What was being clumsily promoted was a potentially transformative piece of technology — a way to evaluate player performance, in tune with an algorithm that had been taught to think like Capello himself.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adverb
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But unfortunately, Rivers was also a man of his times in the belief that sending the men back to the front when cured was the optimal result.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
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That’s why the theme of violence, both psychological and physical, is central to the novel, precisely because for so long—and unfortunately still today—violence hasn’t been considered sufficient reason to bring an end to the dominion of the male, founded on force and on the subordination of women.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Adverb
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The collapse of the Constitution’s balance of powers between three branches of government got us into an unneeded war conducted ineptly.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
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Dancing the Poznan really ineptly, mind you, but dancing nonetheless.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Awkwardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awkwardly. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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