Definitions

ham-handed

[ham-han-did] / ˈhæmˈhæn dɪd /

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clumsy adj.
gauche adj.

ADJECTIVE

clumsy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bulky heavy-handed inept ponderous ungainly unwieldy

WEAK

all thumbs blundering blunderous bumbling bungling butterfingered clownish crude elephantine gauche gawkish gawky graceless 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

ADJECTIVE

gauche

Synonyms

WEAK

awkward bumbling clumsy crude graceless green halting heavy-handed ignorant ill-bred ill-mannered inelegant inept insensitive lacking maladroit oafish uncouth uncultured unhappy unpolished wooden

Antonyms

WEAK

elegant graceful mannerly polished refined sophisticated tactful tasteful

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.

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ham-handed

Governments will be tempted by ham-handed policy responses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026

That’s the bigger story that is being lost in the government’s egregious, ham-handed attempt to turn Ábrego García into an object lesson.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2025

Obama, a Harvard alum, described the freeze as "unlawful and ham-handed".

From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2025

“I think there were much better ways for the Legislature to go about addressing their concerns, rather than this ham-handed approach.”

From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2024

I was getting ham-handed and mutton-fisted, flapping the old things every day; felt I wanted to stunt about a bit.

From Mr. Punch's History of the Great War by Charles L. (Charles Larcom) Graves

ham-handed

Example Sentences

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