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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncoordinated
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
a clumsy bow clumsy on the dance floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
felt clumsy in the unfamiliar uniform
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in inexperienced
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a clumsy joke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in rude
hastily or roughly constructed
a clumsy mock-up of the real thing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 clumsy
The aftermath of Virginia’s clumsy tumble into a rose bed where her exposed cleavage is profusely pricked by thorns lasts for all of one scene.
—
Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 June 2025
Improvement among the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals, a clumsy bunch in most recent years, will add to K.C. strain and argues against Reid’s club matching its 5-1 intradivisonal record of last year (the only loss was a meaningless blowout at Denver, after K.C. locked up the No. 1 seed).
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025
Her language moves the way the turtle does, with a deliberate, clumsy gait, carrying bulky rhymes and blocks of alliteration on plodding feet.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 13 June 2025
From clumsy puppies to grinning chimps, adorable animal content is fantastically popular on social media.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 June 2025
Improvement among the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals, a clumsy bunch in most recent years, will add to K.C. strain and argues against Reid’s club matching its 5-1 intradivisonal record of last year (the only loss was a meaningless blowout at Denver, after K.C. locked up the No. 1 seed).
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025
Her language moves the way the turtle does, with a deliberate, clumsy gait, carrying bulky rhymes and blocks of alliteration on plodding feet.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 13 June 2025
From clumsy puppies to grinning chimps, adorable animal content is fantastically popular on social media.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
-
Advertisement Advertisement To illustrate this point, consider the best man at a wedding who, instead of celebrating the couple, shares personal stories that only serve to embarrass them, often with awkward details that have no place in such a tender moment.—
Matt Abrahams,
Time,
12 July 2025
-
An historic night at Madison Square Garden on Friday night turned into an awkward moment in the wee hours of Saturday morning at the Taylor-Serrano 3 post-fight press conference.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Rushing into a patchwork of uncoordinated state laws will only slow American innovation and give China an opportunity to surge ahead and win this tech race.—
Kristen Waggoner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
-
Unlike the pharmaceutical industry, biotech is relatively uncoordinated, with fewer centralized bodies dedicated to regulation or information sharing.—
Eric Schmidt,
Time,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
But a slightly uncomfortable conversation is better than resentment.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
-
Looking cute doesn’t have to mean feeling uncomfortable.—
Averi Baudler,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Second, immigrant families could obtain relief through class-action lawsuits, although filing class actions in federal court can be a lengthy and cumbersome process.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 July 2025
-
Their effects will be modulated by how cumbersome or efficient work-verification systems are, by the availability of insurance-eligibility workers, and by community outreach or lack thereof.—
Lindsay Ryan,
The Atlantic,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
Nearly one in four Gen Z professionals viewed the thumbs-up as rude or hostile.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
-
This strikes me as rude and short-sighted (no pun intended).—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Outlook: Stability or Strain? Oil markets in 2024 were defined by an uneasy equilibrium.—
Robert Rapier,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Given that uneasy reminder, the small victory ultimately won by King and his followers is even more extraordinary and potent.—
Sophie van Bastelaer,
EW.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Looming large is the thorny issue of Washington and how to handle Trump and his unwieldy and unpredictable tariffs regime that could affect severely impact European and global economic growth.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
8 July 2025
-
But using SAVE for this sort of verification was unwieldy.—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share