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
Fake, then clumsy First, Kirby Smart pulled a fast and brilliant move, which at the time looked like a game-changer.
—
Seth Emerson, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, the action is so clumsy as to suggest that studio execs should have engaged a second unit to handle the snake-attack scenes.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025
Characters on stage would struggle under the weight of scene-setting, or narration, storylines would stutter, feel clumsy or pleading.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Their teacher, however, informed Starmer that her charges weren’t allowed to use it at the school, which prompted a clumsy apology from the chastened prime minister.
—Roger J. Kreuz, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Seth Emerson, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, the action is so clumsy as to suggest that studio execs should have engaged a second unit to handle the snake-attack scenes.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025
Characters on stage would struggle under the weight of scene-setting, or narration, storylines would stutter, feel clumsy or pleading.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Their teacher, however, informed Starmer that her charges weren’t allowed to use it at the school, which prompted a clumsy apology from the chastened prime minister.
—Roger J. Kreuz, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
-
The rise of digital payment systems has made tipping both easier and more awkward, especially when prompts appear at counters, kiosks and drive-thru windows.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Use this a couple of times a week for smoother, brighter skin (without getting sunburnt and sand in awkward places).—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Experts said the leaderless and uncoordinated movement turned violent as economic protests intertwined with political ones.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Last August, this problem became critical in Xinjiang, where uncoordinated wind generation caused low-frequency oscillations that threatened the broader national network.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Although the meeting went smoothly and led to concrete commitments, the bonhomie was strained by uncomfortable questions at a news conference about the issue hanging over the day’s diplomacy.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than telegraphing trouble in paradise, the move could simply be a styling choice—or a response to high temperatures, which cause one’s hands to swell and can make wearing a ring uncomfortable.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Director Michael Arden, meanwhile, is up to his elbows just moving the cumbersome Legos of Dane Laffrey’s set around.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The government has relaxed its once-cumbersome visa process and invested heavily in airport and road upgrades to make the country’s immense, underexplored landscapes more accessible.—
Mark Ellwood,
AFAR Media,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
People at work have made rude comments pertaining to my hearing.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Though Jackson acknowledged that those time crunches can be stressful, being rude isn't the way to go.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The movie begins in 1989, when Martin was just out of her teens and fighting in Toughwoman contests, and spans 22 years, providing all sorts of opportunities for ungainly period hairstyles, from a ragged pageboy to a curly mullet to a frizzy shag.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
-
All loads easier than wrangling an ungainly bird half the table doesn’t really much care for anyway (what?—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Neighbors fear rising violence Residents said the shooting has left them uneasy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
But by evening, an uneasy calm had settled across the city.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That left the sales team on the hook for an unwieldy volume of make-good units, some of which were carved out of the subsequent Alabama-Clemson title game.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Since tracking over 60 metrics can get unwieldy, users will also get a more digestible Health Trajectory score that visualizes their healthspan — or how many years of good health a person can expect.—
Victoria Song,
The Verge,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share