as in clumsiness
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Recent Examples of awkwardness
Intimate relationships with real people can involve rejection, awkwardness, time and emotional labor.
—
Jennifer Pollitt, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Lavin makes this awkwardness stand for a great deal, for the idea that in a time of grief nothing is free from tension, least of all the most ordinary encounter, the most casual moment.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Her awkwardness made sense, though.
—Isobel Lewis, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
The musical is a tribute to the awkwardness of being different, kids who read the dictionary with urgent ferocity.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Hughes addressed the situation again Wednesday night after his first game back with the New Jersey Devils, acknowledging the awkwardness while reaffirming respect for the women’s program.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2026
Marcus Phillips spearheads a spot-on quintet of classmates, each bursting with self-conscious awkwardness and a desire to be seen and understood.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
And that is not even factoring in the obvious Q and Aubry awkwardness.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026
Any awkwardness can be banished with honest kindness.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Jennifer Pollitt, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Lavin makes this awkwardness stand for a great deal, for the idea that in a time of grief nothing is free from tension, least of all the most ordinary encounter, the most casual moment.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Her awkwardness made sense, though.
—Isobel Lewis, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
The musical is a tribute to the awkwardness of being different, kids who read the dictionary with urgent ferocity.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Hughes addressed the situation again Wednesday night after his first game back with the New Jersey Devils, acknowledging the awkwardness while reaffirming respect for the women’s program.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2026
Marcus Phillips spearheads a spot-on quintet of classmates, each bursting with self-conscious awkwardness and a desire to be seen and understood.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
And that is not even factoring in the obvious Q and Aubry awkwardness.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026
Any awkwardness can be banished with honest kindness.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awkwardness
Noun
-
For Perssonatti, the disease is more about fatigue, brain fog, word salad, and clumsiness.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The desire for more speed also demonstrated some of the internal clumsiness Weiss and her close inner circle have lamented on the technical side.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Not two years later this tower was to collapse precipitately under its own weight into a pyramid of dust and rubble, only to be rebuilt later, in, unaccountably, all its former gracelessness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Awkwardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awkwardness. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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