as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
an ungraceful but well-meaning hostess
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Recent Examples of ungraceful
Is there an ungraceful way to age?
—
Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
For his part, Harman chooses allegiance to sentences so ungraceful that Kafka, as Coetzee suggests, might have written them in his sleep.
—Joy Williams, Harper's Magazine, 2 May 2024
Occasionally, the dialogue is ungraceful in connecting the lines between past and present.
—Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2022
Extra cuddles for the extremely ungraceful Flounder.
—Brenna Murphy, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2021
At best, President Donald Trump's exit from the White House is ungraceful.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2020
Next spring will mark six years since Northland mall in Southfield closed for good after a long and ungraceful decline.
—Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, 19 Nov. 2020
Given that much time and his history of health, Cano could’ve endured even a fairly ungraceful decline and reached 3,000 hits and 400 home runs and shoo-in Hall of Fame status by his age-40 season when his deal runs up.
—Ted Berg, For The Win, 15 May 2018
Babcock launched himself in the crowd and immediately numerous audience members—including yours truly—took an ungraceful tumble.
—Efrain Dorado, RedEye Chicago, 7 Aug. 2017
Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
For his part, Harman chooses allegiance to sentences so ungraceful that Kafka, as Coetzee suggests, might have written them in his sleep.
—Joy Williams, Harper's Magazine, 2 May 2024
Occasionally, the dialogue is ungraceful in connecting the lines between past and present.
—Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2022
Extra cuddles for the extremely ungraceful Flounder.
—Brenna Murphy, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2021
At best, President Donald Trump's exit from the White House is ungraceful.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2020
Next spring will mark six years since Northland mall in Southfield closed for good after a long and ungraceful decline.
—Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, 19 Nov. 2020
Given that much time and his history of health, Cano could’ve endured even a fairly ungraceful decline and reached 3,000 hits and 400 home runs and shoo-in Hall of Fame status by his age-40 season when his deal runs up.
—Ted Berg, For The Win, 15 May 2018
Babcock launched himself in the crowd and immediately numerous audience members—including yours truly—took an ungraceful tumble.
—Efrain Dorado, RedEye Chicago, 7 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungraceful
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
-
After the zapfest on Earth, the anti-climactic tussle between the forces of good and evil occurs back on Eternia, where He-Man and his nemesis cross swords in a clumsy fight that’s not only predictable but also photographed and edited poorly.—
Jeffrey Ressner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
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The simple walking pattern adopted by fish, which the Cambridge researchers call an ‘undulating tripod gait’, can appear to be quite clumsy and involves too much flopping.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Ungraceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungraceful. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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