1
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
getting the ungainly couch up the stairs was a real chore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
the tree cutter was crushing any unlucky petunias that lay in the path of his ungainly tread
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ungainly
That dispute was patched over by an ungainly agreement, negotiated between the European Commission and the U.S. government.
—
Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2025
Examples imported from 1975 through 1985 had rather ungainly impact bumpers, so early, chrome-bumper cars are aesthetically more desirable.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2025
You're locked into an ungainly, spread armed, weak kneed
Character: snowplow.
—Outside Online, 19 Feb. 2025
And Farley was wild, crashing through tables, cramming himself into ungainly costumes, and going full red-faced dynamo mode all in pursuit of every last laugh in the building.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2025
Examples imported from 1975 through 1985 had rather ungainly impact bumpers, so early, chrome-bumper cars are aesthetically more desirable.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2025
You're locked into an ungainly, spread armed, weak kneed
Character: snowplow.
—Outside Online, 19 Feb. 2025
And Farley was wild, crashing through tables, cramming himself into ungainly costumes, and going full red-faced dynamo mode all in pursuit of every last laugh in the building.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ungainly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungainly
Adjective
-
Any move to unify systems and say goodbye to clumsy data management couldn't be more crucial—or opportune.—
Charles Crouchman,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Every summer a disposable camera was tucked into my camp bag, where clumsy photos, often with a thumb peeking in, were snapped with reckless abandon.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The coming weeks are the slow limp forwards that Putin wants: Tension between Trump and Zelensky first, followed by European pressure on Trump to ease off on Zelensky, followed by awkward and technical stalling over a three-way meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
16 Aug. 2025
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Kyler Murray completed seven of his eight passes, with one awkward misread going for a pick: Third-year running back Bam Knight busted out on a 27-yard rush, and his backfield teammate Emari Demercado took a screen pass all the way to the house.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Kennedy points out that these knowledge structures can become unwieldy.—
Hessie Jones,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
In addition, one-way puzzles generate keys that are too unwieldy to actually open locks.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Pedrad made history as the first Iranian American castmember on Saturday Night Live, before bending age and gender to play a gawky 14-year-old Persian American boy in the coming-of-age sitcom Chad.—
Dan Bilefsky,
HollywoodReporter,
25 July 2025
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Agnes has a gawky, floppy-haired beauty, a gently appraising stare, quizzically arching eyebrows, and a tendency to listen with her mouth half open, as if in anticipation of a punch line that will take her, and us, by surprise.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Over time, these staffs have ballooned in size, making coordination cumbersome.—
Benjamin Jensen,
The Conversation,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Some trays are completely lacking in handles, which can be cumbersome to lift and carry.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Dolphins also didn’t invest in a safety turning 29 this season who is coming off an unsteady year or two in Pittsburgh.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
28 July 2025
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But its lessons may be useful in these unsteady days, too, with our own uncivil Court.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
27 July 2025
Adjective
-
Moreover, uncoordinated attacks, often by motivated individuals acting on their own, can still occur, as has happened in Israel since 2023.—
DANIEL BYMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
28 July 2025
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In my experience, a single, properly underwritten advance is almost always safer and more sustainable than several uncoordinated ones.—
Raymond Grand,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ungainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungainly. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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