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
Loyalty programs have become operationally unwieldy, and the financial consequences are rarely discussed openly.
—
Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
For large, unwieldy laundry, wash it on the bulky setting.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Weihl is dealing with heady concepts here, and at this crucial point—the project’s de facto mission statement—they’re too unwieldy, pushing her down cryptic dead-end roads.
—Raphael Helfand, Pitchfork, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
For large, unwieldy laundry, wash it on the bulky setting.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Weihl is dealing with heady concepts here, and at this crucial point—the project’s de facto mission statement—they’re too unwieldy, pushing her down cryptic dead-end roads.
—Raphael Helfand, Pitchfork, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwieldy
Adjective
-
The historic victory, the nation’s first ever in the World Cup, was overshadowed when the midfielder injured his leg in gruesome fashion following a clumsy challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
-
Better systems beat willpower as clumsy Chiron enters your 6th House of Work and Health, reminding you that mistakes teach faster than shame.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Your 2nd House of Finances hits an awkward angle as the nurturing Moon quincunxes ambitious Mars in your 9th House of Travel and Learning.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
-
But that doesn’t mean there still aren’t some awkward moments.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
And though there are no tariffs imposed on British goods entering the EU, there is a raft of non-tariff barriers, such as cumbersome customs paperwork, border certifications, and visa restrictions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 June 2026
-
With a Brush Head Heavy electric vacuums can be extremely cumbersome to use on furniture, and their handy attachments often don’t cover enough fabric at a time.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Seydoux tromps through the film with a masculine heaviness — a sense of dysphoria that translates to her character’s ungainly bearing.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
In its back-to-back knottiness, the album takes on an ungainly quality that, deliberate or not, sets up roadblocks to prolonged enjoyment.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But the process was clunky, took more than three minutes to complete and caused confusion in the stadium and on the pitch.—
Ben Burrows,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
-
Unlike clunky acupressure bands or funky glasses, the Essence Essential Oil Nasal Diffusers are surprisingly discreet.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwieldy. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
