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
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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
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3
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
felt clumsy in the unfamiliar uniform
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4
as in inexperienced
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a clumsy joke
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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
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6
as in rude
hastily or roughly constructed
a clumsy mock-up of the real thing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clumsy
The Knicks — the same clumsy team that tripped over itself for most of this century — are going to the finals for the first time since 1999.
—
Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Inspired by these clumsy masters of thermal management, scientists have created a material that can passively switch between heating and cooling modes.
—New Atlas, 25 May 2026
This is a simpler, sturdier solution than the often-clumsy folding folios.
—Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 23 May 2026
For one, the Frenchie vision is just corny and clumsy, and so is the idea of Kimiko harnessing the power of love to defeat the bad guy without succumbing to vengeful rage.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Inspired by these clumsy masters of thermal management, scientists have created a material that can passively switch between heating and cooling modes.
—New Atlas, 25 May 2026
This is a simpler, sturdier solution than the often-clumsy folding folios.
—Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 23 May 2026
For one, the Frenchie vision is just corny and clumsy, and so is the idea of Kimiko harnessing the power of love to defeat the bad guy without succumbing to vengeful rage.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clumsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy
Adjective
-
The disparity has forced Goldman into the awkward position of defending a seat he’s held for two terms by running, at least in part, as the outsider.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
Between see-through fabrics, ill-fitting straps, and awkward hemlines, there are plenty of misses.—
Better Homes & Gardens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
European powers responded with waves of uncoordinated border closures and trade restrictions that caused enormous economic damage without reliably stopping transmission.—
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
-
These incidents are part of a growing pattern of uncoordinated gatherings that have increased in size and frequency over the past several years.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
One 2012 poll found that 23% of White evangelical voters were uncomfortable with Romney’s religion.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
If the air conditioner is set too high, then the home may be just as uncomfortable as the air outdoors.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Frette linen bathrobes were soft, not overly cumbersome like most robes tend to be.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
The first image in the exhibition announced the playful tenor of the oversize works, which often verged on the ludic despite the lack of spontaneity owing to the cumbersome Land Camera.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
There is a profound difference between rude political commentary and language that normalizes violence against other human beings.—
Naperville Sun,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
-
In other words, leaving early isn't inherently rude.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Seydoux tromps through the film with a masculine heaviness — a sense of dysphoria that translates to her character’s ungainly bearing.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
In its back-to-back knottiness, the album takes on an ungainly quality that, deliberate or not, sets up roadblocks to prolonged enjoyment.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet at the height of his triumph, Brooks was uneasy.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
After feeling uneasy about being famous for comedy at first, Faris now sees it as a privilege.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
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Weihl is dealing with heady concepts here, and at this crucial point—the project’s de facto mission statement—they’re too unwieldy, pushing her down cryptic dead-end roads.—
Raphael Helfand,
Pitchfork,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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