as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
an unwieldy machine that requires two people to operate it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 unwieldy
Fire & Blood is an unwieldy book to adapt.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
That left the sales team on the hook for an unwieldy volume of make-good units, some of which were carved out of the subsequent Alabama-Clemson title game.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Since tracking over 60 metrics can get unwieldy, users will also get a more digestible Health Trajectory score that visualizes their healthspan — or how many years of good health a person can expect.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2026
Given the unwieldy amount of money flowing through college sports, anything that limits a player’s eligibility is already walking the tightrope of being an antitrust violation.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
That left the sales team on the hook for an unwieldy volume of make-good units, some of which were carved out of the subsequent Alabama-Clemson title game.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Since tracking over 60 metrics can get unwieldy, users will also get a more digestible Health Trajectory score that visualizes their healthspan — or how many years of good health a person can expect.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2026
Given the unwieldy amount of money flowing through college sports, anything that limits a player’s eligibility is already walking the tightrope of being an antitrust violation.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwieldy
Adjective
-
Rosenberg is careful to note that this doesn’t require abandoning values or discernment, but recognizing that beneath every expression — skillful, clumsy, or even hurtful — is an unmet need.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The clumsy, confusing rollout of the fees certainly didn’t help — as many residents who were promised a locals discount couldn’t figure out how to tap that benefit.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Scenes around the dinner table are awkward to say the least, but Meg has a big supporter in bestie Penny (Sophia Torres) and a burning desire to bring this show to life against all odds.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
-
All four athletes stood together, smiling for photos through an undeniably awkward situation.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Others utilize passive mechanical structures that are often cumbersome and can’t shift shape in real time.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Bleach solutions also work but are more cumbersome and require a several-minute soak time.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The movie begins in 1989, when Martin was just out of her teens and fighting in Toughwoman contests, and spans 22 years, providing all sorts of opportunities for ungainly period hairstyles, from a ragged pageboy to a curly mullet to a frizzy shag.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
-
All loads easier than wrangling an ungainly bird half the table doesn’t really much care for anyway (what?—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Although my normal size fit well (with enough space in the toe box for comfort, sans sloppiness), the clunky-looking shoe lacked the more tailored, three-dimensional build of pricier shoes.—
Maggie Slepian,
Outside,
26 Jan. 2026
-
For example, rather than tweaking today’s slow and clunky payment journey, payers could reimagine the whole system and move toward real-time intelligent settlement at the point of care.—
Shubham Singhal,
Fortune,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwieldy. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
