clumsy

/ˈklʌmzi/

/ˈklʌmzi/

Other forms: clumsier; clumsiest

Someone clumsy is a klutz. They're awkward, ungraceful, and walk like they have two left feet. Something hard to handle — like a huge box — is also clumsy.

A badly told story is told in a clumsy way, and a couch that's hard to move clumsy to carry. But mostly being clumsy is embarrassing. Dropping things, tripping a lot, and stumbling are all examples of clumsiness. Clumsy people usually aren't too good at sports or dancing. And you certainly don't want a clumsy surgeon. Most people are a little clumsy when they're teenagers — growing so fast makes it hard to be sure of yourself physically.

Definitions of clumsy

1. adjective

   lacking grace in movement or posture
   “clumsy fingers”

   synonyms: clunky, gawky, ungainly, unwieldy

   awkward

   lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance
2. adjective

   not elegant or graceful in expression
   “a clumsy apology”

   synonyms: awkward, cumbersome, ill-chosen, inapt, inept

   infelicitous

   not appropriate in application; defective
3. adjective

   showing lack of skill or aptitude
   “did a clumsy job”

   synonyms: bungling, fumbling, incompetent

   unskilled

   not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency
4. adjective

   difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape
   “clumsy wooden shoes”

   synonyms: awkward, bunglesome, ungainly

   unmanageable, unwieldy

   difficult to use or handle or manage because of size or weight or shape