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
As with almost every cinematic interpretation of Wuthering Heights, the plot’s more unwieldy second half is disposed of entirely.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
The two leaders were former allies who later became embroiled in bruising political disputes, deepening divisions in one of Asia's most unwieldy democracies.
—Jim Gomez The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Everyone, for different reasons, will be watching to see if this experiment in democratic socialist governance in a city as diverse and unwieldy as New York City will succeed or fail.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Remote online hearings, once considered unwieldy at best and unworkable at worst, became possible.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
The two leaders were former allies who later became embroiled in bruising political disputes, deepening divisions in one of Asia's most unwieldy democracies.
—Jim Gomez The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Everyone, for different reasons, will be watching to see if this experiment in democratic socialist governance in a city as diverse and unwieldy as New York City will succeed or fail.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Remote online hearings, once considered unwieldy at best and unworkable at worst, became possible.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwieldy
Adjective
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The tech driving my first clumsy steps included a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GPS sensors monitoring each ski’s position and the weight and angle of my heel.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
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Who wants to sit through a fictitious novelist’s clumsy drafts?—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Reaching backward or twisting around other people to grab a bag is awkward and strains muscles.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
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These things are often awkward at the best of times and with the best of families, but this oddball mess of a household might just be the actual worst.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The process is cumbersome, deliberate, sluggish … and long overdue.—
Bill Swank,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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One approach is to reform outdated and cumbersome permitting processes so clean energy projects, such as for solar and wind power — along with more transmission lines — can be added to our grid more quickly.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Melbourne, Australia — An ungainly barrel of a shark cruising languidly over a barren seabed far too deep for the sun's rays to illuminate was an unexpected sight.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Walking upstream against the current on loose rock with clunky wading boots was treacherous.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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Supportive no longer means clunky.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwieldy. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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