1
as in awkward
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
diamond cutting is no job for a clumsy person
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2
as in uncoordinated
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
a clumsy bow clumsy on the dance floor
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3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
felt clumsy in the unfamiliar uniform
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4
as in inexperienced
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a clumsy joke
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5
as in cumbersome
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
a clumsy contraption, but it got the job done
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6
as in rude
hastily or roughly constructed
a clumsy mock-up of the real thing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clumsy
The uncharacteristically clumsy error ended in a first double bogey of the week for Scheffler and, with compatriot Gotterup ticking along nicely up ahead, scythed his lead back to four strokes.
—
Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 20 July 2025
Although the email tries to sound formal, the phrasing is clumsy and inconsistent.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
To an onlooker, someone with a vestibular disorder can appear clumsy or awkward or drunk, which adds a level of embarrassment to what’s already a serious physical impairment.
—Sushma Subramanian, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
And Hank’s own clumsy attempts at hypermasculine child-rearing often come from his father, Cotton (Toby Huss).
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 20 July 2025
Although the email tries to sound formal, the phrasing is clumsy and inconsistent.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
To an onlooker, someone with a vestibular disorder can appear clumsy or awkward or drunk, which adds a level of embarrassment to what’s already a serious physical impairment.
—Sushma Subramanian, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
And Hank’s own clumsy attempts at hypermasculine child-rearing often come from his father, Cotton (Toby Huss).
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
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The house was a little awkward and needed some work, including in the living room, which had a mix of original wood flooring and vinyl.—
Thomas Fuller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Once Mercury goes direct on Aug. 11, the awkward conversations or delays with friends or teammates start to smooth out.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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But compared to some other cities, New York’s efforts are piecemeal and uncoordinated.—
Richard McGahey,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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This event was uncoordinated and did not occur on school grounds.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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For marketers, this is both exciting and uncomfortable.—
Francesca Pezzoli,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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But the odd tone of their recent fight when Miranda comments on Carrie’s flirtation with her writer neighbor Duncan (Jonathan Cake) is uncomfortable.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Developers have complained for years that the city’s cumbersome construction permitting process takes far too long, adding costs to projects.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
22 July 2025
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The best thing of all are the performances of early American folk songs that the two men record on cumbersome equipment.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Some posed for photos, others made rude gestures, and many simply stared.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
27 July 2025
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The movie’s off-color humor wouldn’t fly today, but its rebellious spirit remains hilariously defiant — a refreshingly rude retort to the niceties of family films and their cringey feel-good messages.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The official title is technically F1®: The Movie, an ungainly, trademarked reminder of both the brand the film was made in conjunction with, and the fact that that brand is so big that this $200-300 million Hollywood production is a blip in comparison.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
26 June 2025
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The cornerstones of maps’ data pools are satellite images and a tireless fleet of Street View cars that roam with ungainly camera hats, constantly refreshing neighborhood-level detail.—
Sonya Bennett-Brandt,
AFAR Media,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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She Rides Shotgun begins with one uneasy situation and ends on quite another, and the two hours in between are anything but comfortable.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
31 July 2025
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Step 3: Open the door and actually listen Senior leaders should become more visible, Burke says, especially to help coach managers who feel uneasy addressing tough topics.—
Alyshia Hull,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Even the misstep of Top Secret! yielded its share of laughs, despite attempting to hit an unwieldy jumble of parody targets.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 July 2025
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Compounding those rising expenses for pet owners can be a deterioration in financial stability, including unwieldy debt burdens, an unexpected (human or animal) medical event, or a job loss.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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