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
  • Now healthy, his inclusion on the playoff roster would be a gamble that his elite stuff can mask his inexperience.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Distracted driving, speed, and driver inexperience are all factors that can contribute to motor vehicle accidents in teens.
    — Sarah Vanbuskirk, Parents, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • For listeners familiar enough with safety systems to fully appreciate the danger, miscommunication, unpreparedness or negligence in these stories, the tales provide riveting entertainment, in their own grim way.
    — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Life has always penalized unpreparedness and lack of diligence.
    — byDoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.
    — Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • At the start of the 1986-87 season, a combination of previous boardroom incompetence and broader economics saw Middlesbrough not just in the Third Division, but with their ground, Ayresome Park, padlocked.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Whereas Putin takes extravagant risks on the international stage but is loath to hold his associates accountable for incompetence, Xi is just the opposite.
    — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 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
  • Court records show DeFoor has a history of criminal cases involving findings of mental incompetency.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The late-night show’s second season premiere opened with a sketch about King Charles and Princess Diana that ended up focusing on Sheeran’s inability to pick a side.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Rampant inflation, the collapse of insurance payments, and the government’s inability to sell oil and obtain the foreign currency needed to repay pharmacies have fractured the supply chain.
    — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clumsiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsiness. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster