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Definitions

ham-handed

[ham-han-did] / ˈhæmˈhæn dɪd /
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.

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

While the film’s execution seems expert on the surface, the internal narrative design is unfortunately ham-handed and woefully dull.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

A number of missteps and misstatements - including a ham-handed June 2021 interview with NBC News presenter Lester Holt – damaged her standing and opened her to conservative attacks.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 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 Graves, Charles L. (Charles Larcom)