as in inexperience
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
-
And his flaws—pride, inexperience—are consequential.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
-
The Knicks always weathered the storm and forced the Spurs to face their own youth and inexperience.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
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 most serious charges — which included incompetence, negligence and failure of duty — were dismissed.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
-
There is where their incompetence comes in.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 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
-
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
-
The longer the delay, the more the system risks turning temporary incompetency into long-term confinement.—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But Iraq’s inability to keep the margin of defeat narrow when that very well could be the tiebreaker for one of the top eight third-place spots showed a bit of naivety that could prove very damaging.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Rashada’s unlikely—if not deeply ironic—windfall highlights the secondary market for House claims that has emerged during the post-settlement limbo of antitrust litigation over college athletes’ long-standing inability to profit from their name, image and likeness rights.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsiness. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
