butterfingered

adjective

ˈbə-tər-ˌfiŋ-gərd How to pronounce butterfingered (audio)
Definition of butterfingerednext
as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands I'm so butterfingered this morning—I keep dropping things

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for butterfingered
  1. clumsy
  2. awkward
  3. maladroit
Adjective
  • Vocals are surprisingly good, despite the show being a bit awkward and clumsy at times.
    — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Sneak away into the beyond—maybe this was a clumsy translation.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • In addition, an awkward meeting between Ed and a smooth literary agent (Jake Lacy), along with a mini-subplot involving phone calls from Ed’s frustrated sister about their dying brother, come off slightly wedged in.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The awkward part of all this, though, is that Anthropic isn’t making money yet.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of awkward
Adjective
  • At her side is her maladroit cameraman Manu, (a winning turn from Jean-Baptiste Shelmerdine).
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Michael Strassner, who co-wrote the film with Duplass, stars as Cliff, a physically maladroit, mildly depressive but sweet-natured man whose thick beard and portly bearing suggest Lord of the Rings-era Peter Jackson.
    — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of maladroit
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

buttered up
butterfingered
butterfingers
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Cite this Entry

“Butterfingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butterfingered. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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