gracelessly

adverb

as in clumsily

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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 gracelessly This kind of beauty has nothing to do with perfection, which is distributed so arbitrarily and approximated so gracelessly. — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gracelessly
  1. clumsily
  2. ineptly
  3. awkwardly
Adverb
  • All the while, the question of whether they’re related by blood lurks in the background, kicked slowly down the road until the finale clumsily throws it into focus.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2026
  • What detracts from the film is the clumsily emphatic foreshadowing of a dramatic plot turn, which is pretty much spelled out by an alarm company technician who sells Miguel on the wisdom of upgrading to a next-level home security system.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of clumsily
Adverb
  • The collapse of the Constitution’s balance of powers between three branches of government got us into an unneeded war conducted ineptly.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Dancing the Poznan really ineptly, mind you, but dancing nonetheless.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of ineptly
Adverb
  • The officer stops at the pillar between the car’s windows, such that the driver must crane their neck backward to make eye contact and could only open fire awkwardly.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The camera ends with Hilton and Becerra standing awkwardly and not shaking hands.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of awkwardly

Browse Nearby Words

graceless
gracelessly
gracelessness
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Cite this Entry

“Gracelessly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gracelessly. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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