clumsy

adjective

clum·​sy ˈkləm-zē How to pronounce clumsy (audio)
clumsier; clumsiest
Synonyms of clumsynext
1
a
: lacking dexterity, nimbleness, or grace
clumsy fingers
b
: lacking tact or subtlety
a clumsy joke
2
: awkward or inefficient in use or construction : unwieldy
a clumsy contraption
criticized her sentence for its clumsy construction
clumsily
ˈkləm-zə-lē How to pronounce clumsy (audio)
adverb
clumsiness
ˈkləm-zē-nəs How to pronounce clumsy (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for clumsy

awkward, clumsy, maladroit, inept, gauche mean not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct).

awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact.

periods of awkward silence

clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill.

a clumsy mechanic

maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations.

a maladroit politician

inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy.

a hopelessly inept defense attorney

gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding.

felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties

Examples of clumsy in a Sentence

I'm sorry about spilling your wine—that was very clumsy of me. I have very clumsy hands and tend to drop things. She made a clumsy attempt at a joke.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The comedian with a penchant for pratfalls also did a popular impression of a clumsy President Gerald Ford and played the Landshark. —EW.com, 5 Oct. 2024 What was trickiest to nail down was the thing that looks the clumsiest: the student film. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2024 Where Huang’s wardrobe for Oz emphasizes his position as a clumsy social climber, aspiring to classic mafia masculinity but too crass to fit in with the old-money elite, Sofia represents a different kind of outsider. —Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024 Jessica Carter Altman always thought of herself as clumsy. —Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clumsy 

Word History

Etymology

probably from obsolete English clumse benumbed with cold

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of clumsy was circa 1598

Dictionary Entries Near clumsy

clumproot

clumsy

clunch

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clumsy. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

clumsy

adjective
clum·​sy ˈkləm-zē How to pronounce clumsy (audio)
clumsier; clumsiest
1
a
: lacking skill or grace in movement
clumsy fingers
b
: showing social awkwardness or a lack of tact
a clumsy attempt at a joke
2
: awkwardly or poorly made : hard to use
a clumsy tool
clumsily
-zə-lē How to pronounce clumsy (audio)
adverb
clumsiness
-zē-nəs How to pronounce clumsy (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on clumsy

Nglish: Translation of clumsy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of clumsy for Arabic Speakers

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