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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwieldy
The cycle that Columbine helped kick off has evolved into a subculture that is dark, unwieldy, and durable.
—
Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Gleeson, Frei, Key, Gregg, and Young are very good, too (although many of their castmates get lost in the unwieldy ensemble).
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
The MaraX’s steam wand is powerful without being unwieldy, and our testers felt in control when texturing both dairy and oat milk.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
At any rate, the Scar’s display quality is top-notch, and the spacious 16-inch screen is perfect for laptop gaming without the unwieldy size of an 18-inch system.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Gleeson, Frei, Key, Gregg, and Young are very good, too (although many of their castmates get lost in the unwieldy ensemble).
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
The MaraX’s steam wand is powerful without being unwieldy, and our testers felt in control when texturing both dairy and oat milk.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
At any rate, the Scar’s display quality is top-notch, and the spacious 16-inch screen is perfect for laptop gaming without the unwieldy size of an 18-inch system.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwieldy
Adjective
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Actually, Alma does suffer from ulcers, which cause her extraordinary stomach pain and vomiting at inconvenient moments, and cause viewers to wonder not if but when such clumsy symbolic traits will be trotted out in the future.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
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There had to be an element of her that was sort of clumsy.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Pickens caught a pass around the 26-yard line and blazed past cornerback Mike Jackson on an awkward angle for the score.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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Teammate Ji’Ayir Brown rolled up on the back of Warner’s ankle while trying to make a tackle on Rachaad White, and Warner’s ankle bent at an awkward angle.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Westonetek Add-a-bag Luggage Strap, 2-pack Flight attendants also love this luggage strap for their own cumbersome travel loads.—
Aly Walansky,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Oct. 2025
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Big, cumbersome, and greasy, baking sheets can be a pain to clean and dry off.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Critics started using the ungainly term Apatowian to describe his imitators.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
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An absolute charmer, the film is an affecting look at the human-avian bond, with all its mysteries, warmth and ungainly practicalities.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The slick lines and futuristic aesthetic immediately called to me, voicelessly calling my current dustbuster clunky, dated, and ugly.—
Lauren Arzbaecher,
Architectural Digest,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The clunky start kept them off-balance.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwieldy. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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