Synonyms of cumbersome

cumbersome

adjective

ˈkəm-bər-səm 

as in clumsy

difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design

a long-handled wrench that is too cumbersome for tight spots, such as under the sink

Synonyms & Similar Words

• clumsy
• awkward
• unwieldy
• clunky
• ungainly
• cumbrous
• unhandy
• ponderous
• heavy
• impractical
• cranky
• bulky
• unmanageable
• massive
• bunglesome
• uncontrollable
• impracticable
• dinosauric
• elephantine
• hulking
• dinosaurian

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• practical
• useful
• functional
• handy
• practicable
• serviceable

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective cumbersome differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of cumbersome are cumbrous, heavy, ponderous, and weighty. While all these words mean "having great weight," cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture

early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

Where would heavy be a reasonable alternative to cumbersome?

While in some cases nearly identical to cumbersome, heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

When can ponderous be used instead of cumbersome?

The words ponderous and cumbersome can be used in similar contexts, but ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

When might weighty be a better fit than cumbersome?

In some situations, the words weighty and cumbersome are roughly equivalent. However, weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cumbersome

In an era in which much political content preaches to the choir, and comes in rabid, bite-size chunks, a long-form history podcast may seem like an absurdly cumbersome way to push a message. —Joseph Bernstein, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025

In the medium term, reliance on AI will diminish our need and motivation to engage in cumbersome independent thought processes, potentially leading to cognitive atrophy in the long run. —Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Realizing that the Defense Acquisition Guidebook, which ran to nearly 2,000 pages of rules, was cumbersome and unwieldy, Defense Department leaders launched a massive effort to update it. —Mara Karlin, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2025

For many retailers, cash remains a critical part of daily operations, but depositing that cash is a cumbersome, time-consuming process that has not changed in 30 years. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025