as in inexperience
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Recent Examples of clumsiness
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
O’Hara sinks into the role, embracing the inherent clumsiness of community theater while celebrating its flaws.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
On immigration enforcement—Trump’s signature issue—the brutality and clumsiness of the mass-deportation campaign has decreased public support for the president’s agenda and increased the number of Americans who strongly disapprove of ICE.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
The clumsiness feels important in other ways, too.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
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
O’Hara sinks into the role, embracing the inherent clumsiness of community theater while celebrating its flaws.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
On immigration enforcement—Trump’s signature issue—the brutality and clumsiness of the mass-deportation campaign has decreased public support for the president’s agenda and increased the number of Americans who strongly disapprove of ICE.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
The clumsiness feels important in other ways, too.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsiness
Noun
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Dennis Kamrany, a lifelong Pacific Palisades resident who sells real estate and is waiting for his home's gas lines to be reconnected more than a year after they were damaged in the fire, said Pratt's political inexperience didn't matter.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
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Getz can’t count on the magic wand of Mike Vasil to make up for the Sox’s inexperience.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
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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
-
Wardex's incompetence is another bugbear.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
-
California’s slow counting process is not the result of incompetence or an unexpected surge in turnout.—
Matt Klink,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
This journalistic cynicism amid government ham-handedness shattered something precious too.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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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
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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
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The longer the delay, the more the system risks turning temporary incompetency into long-term confinement.—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Among the reasons why Southern California was seen as vulnerable, the report said in 2008, was a loss of water due to quake damage and the resulting inability of firefighters to extinguish blazes.—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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Joseph also criticized the inability of lawmakers to work across the aisle to pass legislation that would help residents rather than focusing on the priorities of special interests.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsiness. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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