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

The teenage Felix is hopelessly clumsy around women.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The Bath wing copped a first unfortunate yellow card for not releasing the tackled man and then a clumsy second, blundering into an airborne Kyle Steyn.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

“Olive says I’m clumsy and probably trip over my own shadow.”

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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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