Definitions

clumsy

[kluhm-zee] / ˈklʌm zi /

ADJECTIVE

not agile; awkward

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bulky heavy-handed inept ponderous ungainly unwieldy

WEAK

all thumbs blundering blunderous bumbling bungling butterfingered clownish crude elephantine gauche gawkish gawky graceless ham-handed heavy helpless hulking ill-shaped incompetent inelegant inexperienced inexpert lubberly lumbering lumpish maladroit oafish splay stumbling unable unadept uncoordinated uncouth undexterous uneasy unhandy unskillful untactful untalented untoward weedy

Antonyms

WEAK

adroit agile athletic clever coordinated couth dexterous expert graceful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Where Fausset’s story was clumsy enough to draw immediate institutional embarrassment, Bernstein’s is polished enough to escape the same reckoning.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

"I'll be a bit clumsy up there -- so I know that's going to be hilarious and annoying at the same time."

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Mustering courage, the clumsy would-be capitalists Dmitri and Evgeny repeat the Nike slogan “Just Do It” to each other.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

After a shooting in L.A.’s Fashion District, detectives sifted through encrypted messages to track down a sophisticated but clumsy band of thieves.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

His personnel file painted the picture of a CIA agent who was deeply knowledgeable about the KGB but also careless, clumsy, and erratic.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Vocabulary lists containing clumsy

Awkward Moments

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"Dulce et Decorum Est," by Wilfred Owen

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List 5

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