1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
preteens feeling awkward at their first formal dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
her awkward handling of the seating arrangements at the wedding reception resulted in many hurt feelings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
the awkward situation of having to listen as your host and hostess quarrel loudly in the next room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in annoying
causing difficulty, discomfort, or annoyance
our surprise guests came at a very awkward time
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in cumbersome
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
that manual can opener is awkward to hold
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in unsteady
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
an awkward person who is always tripping over herself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in unhandy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
an awkward catch of a fly ball
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of awkward
He’s got a painfully awkward relationship with a grieving teenage daughter.
—
EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
For 19 days many tried and failed to capture her, until a tranquilizer shot allegedly caused an awkward fall and led to her death.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2025
The Rockets are dangerously close to the first apron at this point, and ironing out an Eason contract would give them more certainty on their upcoming financial layout, while also avoiding a potentially awkward situation.
—Kelly Iko, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Kyler Murray completed seven of his eight passes, with one awkward misread going for a pick:
Third-year running back Bam Knight busted out on a 27-yard rush, and his backfield teammate Emari Demercado took a screen pass all the way to the house.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for awkward
EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
For 19 days many tried and failed to capture her, until a tranquilizer shot allegedly caused an awkward fall and led to her death.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2025
The Rockets are dangerously close to the first apron at this point, and ironing out an Eason contract would give them more certainty on their upcoming financial layout, while also avoiding a potentially awkward situation.
—Kelly Iko, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Kyler Murray completed seven of his eight passes, with one awkward misread going for a pick:
Third-year running back Bam Knight busted out on a 27-yard rush, and his backfield teammate Emari Demercado took a screen pass all the way to the house.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for awkward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awkward
Adjective
-
But beneath the glittering headlines lies the uncomfortable truth: the advertised jackpot is not the real prize, the odds are stacked against players, and the system relies heavily on the very people most vulnerable to financial strain.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
An uncomfortable Lydia attempted to change the subject, but her dad kept going.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This is a huge bonus for a clumsy gal like myself, who often trips over air.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The scale of the problem became terrifyingly clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Japanese government struggled to respond to a nationwide crisis with clumsy digital tools.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
If so, we might be spared the Trump administration’s embarrassing mysticism about the Fed and its ability to grow the economy with central bank interventions.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Where most people would rather skirt past their most embarrassing moments and take all their biggest faux pas to the grave, Joe Jonas puts it all out there.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The sheer amount of toilet humor — there’s a lot of mucus, snot, and jokes about people drinking piss stuffed into one film — often proves more annoying than fun.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
22 Aug. 2025
-
For a good portion of the audience, Metal Gear Solid Delta will hit all the right notes by being a nice jaunt down memory lane to a time when these ideas and systems were innovative rather than annoying.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Streamlining The Boarding Process With Mobile Scanning After the check-in comes the cumbersome boarding process.—
Samuel Mueller,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
From 2012 to 2018, staff had to use a cumbersome, time-intensive system to enter information about clinical observation cases, Hardtke said.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But the existing options have continued to be unsteady.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
11 Aug. 2025
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So when things feel unsteady, our strategy is grounded in what has always mattered most: protecting and supporting our team.—
Rebecca Brooks,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike taking space to cool down, which is a much healthier strategy, the silent treatment is used specifically to make the other partner feel uneasy.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
-
The pair form an uneasy and sometimes humorous alliance while uncovering a drug ring revolving around a dangerous alien narcotic.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
A couple who had moved into a new apartment a couple of hours earlier got an unpleasant surprise after returning from a celebratory dinner.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Why Connection Counts Feeling cut off is more than unpleasant.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Awkward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awkward. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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