CLUMSY Synonyms: 226 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'clumsy' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of clumsy are awkward , gauche , inept , and maladroit . While all these words mean "not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct)," clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill. // a clumsy mechanic

Q: When could 'awkward' be used to replace 'clumsy'?

The words awkward and clumsy can be used in similar contexts, but awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact. // periods of awkward silence

Q: When might 'gauche' be a better fit than 'clumsy'?

Although the words gauche and clumsy have much in common, gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding. // felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties

Q: In what contexts can 'inept' take the place of 'clumsy'?

While the synonyms inept and clumsy are close in meaning, inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy. // a hopelessly inept defense attorney

Q: When would 'maladroit' be a good substitute for 'clumsy'?

In some situations, the words maladroit and clumsy are roughly equivalent. However, maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations. // a maladroit politician

clumsy

adjective

ˈkləm-zē

Definition of clumsy

as in awkward

lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands diamond cutting is no job for a clumsy person

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in uncoordinated

having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner a clumsy bow clumsy on the dance floor

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as in uncomfortable

lacking social grace and assurance felt clumsy in the unfamiliar uniform

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as in inexperienced

showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) a clumsy joke

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in cumbersome

difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design a clumsy contraption, but it got the job done

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rude

hastily or roughly constructed a clumsy mock-up of the real thing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective clumsy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of clumsy are awkward, gauche, inept, and maladroit. While all these words mean "not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct)," clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill.

a clumsy mechanic

When could awkward be used to replace clumsy?

The words awkward and clumsy can be used in similar contexts, but awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact.

periods of awkward silence

When might gauche be a better fit than clumsy?

Although the words gauche and clumsy have much in common, gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding.

felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties

In what contexts can inept take the place of clumsy?

While the synonyms inept and clumsy are close in meaning, inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy.

a hopelessly inept defense attorney

When would maladroit be a good substitute for clumsy?

In some situations, the words maladroit and clumsy are roughly equivalent. However, maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations.

a maladroit politician

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 clumsy Such attempts to touch on the highly personal connections people have to Oasis’s music feel clumsy and forced, especially when juxtaposed with the brothers’ rather anonymous comments. — Elena Lazic, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 After meeting at a society reception, Henry sets out to marry Henrietta, an endearingly clumsy, overly apologetic botanist with ambitions of discovering a new species of fern. — Air Mail, 5 Sep. 2026 Such episodes now look like clumsy moments in a decade of dissembling. — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 Vocals are surprisingly good, despite the show being a bit awkward and clumsy at times. — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clumsy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clumsy

Adjective

The happy reunion is actually a bit awkward and tense at first.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Grappling with how the world has molded you, and how that manifests in life, in love, and in your day job, can be an awkward process.

— Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of awkward

Adjective

And it won’t be lost on anyone how uncoordinated the Chargers’ operation seemed behind its new coordinators.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
And some elements of it seem inarguably true, such as the idea that Clancy’s psychiatric care was woefully uncoordinated.

— Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of uncoordinated

Adjective

There’s also something of the uncomfortable social observation of Ruben Östlund, Bong Joon Ho or Yorgos Lanthimos, and the freedom of filmmakers who allow situations to become absurd without explaining the joke.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
The dry air inside an airplane cabin, combined with hours spent wearing contact lenses during a long travel day, can leave the lenses with less moisture and eyes feeling increasingly uncomfortable, experts say.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of uncomfortable

Adjective

Though there are other techniques for directly locating explosives, these tend to be cumbersome and can only detect explosives in bulk, while MineReader is as portable as a conventional detector rig.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
The process for officially revoking certificates is slow and cumbersome, so browser makers have devised quicker methods to block specific certificates at the browser level.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of cumbersome

Adjective

Snow geese are large, ungainly animals, while this puppet one is sleek and white.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
Another standout scene features Floyd, who looks like a soft, somewhat ungainly middle-aged man, suddenly getting on a pommel horse and doing something extraordinary.

— Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of ungainly

Adjective

The eight episodes dropping on Prime Video October 7 comprise an unwieldy story that sprawls widely around Carrie but also seems afraid of her — and not in the way King’s novel intended.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Beyond the walls of the company’s London headquarters, which is filled with thousands of its plushy pink octopus mascots, Jackson’s empire may look like an unwieldy one.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of unwieldy

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clumsiness

clumsy

clung

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“Clumsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clumsy. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of clumsy

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