clumsiness

Definition of clumsinessnext

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of clumsiness Not for the first time, the president’s clumsiness is likely to negate his malevolence, though not without considerable cost, in time and money, to Comey. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Let a hypothermic victim get some sleep After the shivering, confusion, slurred speech, and clumsiness of hypothermia have manifested, an exposure victim also gets drowsy. Tim MacWelch, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026 In January 2024, Lola was diagnosed with leukemia after her parents initially mistook bruises appearing across her body for childhood clumsiness. Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026 The tree, which graces a botanical garden, bears patient witness to all manner of human clumsiness. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 May 2026 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 This wouldn't come from a place of hostility, but due to his clumsiness and trailing tail. Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2026 Technology is closing that gap, not through virtue, but through clumsiness. Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsiness
Noun
  • For much of Wednesday’s workout, the Ravens defense crushed the Commanders, capitalizing on Washington’s inexperience at center and right guard.
    Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Chaminade’s collective physicality with defensive tackle Kingston Williams, Hudson Manning, and Elijah Williams liquidates the inexperience of Oaks Christian.
    Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Life has always penalized unpreparedness and lack of diligence.
    byDoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 June 2026
  • These surrenders might occur because of unpreparedness or life changes.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.
    Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The archipelago has faced a drought that has led to severe water shortages in many cities, with government and agency incompetence (or worse, corruption) accused of worsening an already fraught crisis.
    Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026
  • That is inaccurate, not what the investigation covers, and viral posts on X are misleading people either through incompetence or purposefully misleading information.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • This journalistic cynicism amid government ham-handedness shattered something precious too.
    Gil Troy, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Only when Bouzid deals with the repercussions of homophobic Tunisian laws does the melodrama tip into ham-handedness.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Those forms are not pertinent to the finding of incompetency and are therefore subject to the open records law, Ziegler and Bradley wrote.
    Scott Bauer, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Federal agents have descended upon the home of Cindy Rodriguez Singh, the North Texas mom who was recently sent to a state hospital after an incompetency ruling in the murder of her young son.
    Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Besides faulty lactose digestion, nonwhite bodies were accused of other failures, too, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, an inability to digest alcohol quickly.
    Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Officials said the steep terrain and the inability for the climbers to safely dismount prompted a helicopter rescue technician to be lowered to assist the first victim.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clumsiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsiness. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!