bulky

[buhl-kee]

adjective

bulkier, bulkiest 

1. of relatively large and cumbersome bulk or size.

   Synonyms: clumsy, unwieldy, ponderous, massive

2. (of a fabric or yarn) thick; lofty.

3. (of a garment) made of thick, resilient fabric or yarn.

   a bulky sweater.

bulky

/ ˈbʌlkɪ /

adjective

1. very large and massive, esp so as to be unwieldy

Other Word Forms

• bulkiness noun
• bulkily adverb
• overbulkily adverb
• overbulkiness noun
• overbulky adjective
• unbulky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bulky¹

First recorded in 1665–75; bulk ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Her well-worn cycling gloves allow a peek at her perfect dripping-blood manicure, and a bulky knee pad helps steady a problem leg because she’s up and down so often.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Traditional precision lasers are often bulky, costly, and tricky to fine-tune.

Read more on Science Daily

This was a Commanders offense missing star receiver Terry McLaurin, and with Daniels ostensibly limited by a sprained knee and bulky brace.

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Even the best lithium ion batteries are bulky and heavy, with much lower energy density than jet fuel.

Read more on BBC

We have seen no bulky equipment during our visits to Starbucks since the new guidelines were issued on 7 August, though we did see one man with a laptop stand, keyboard and mouse.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• cumbersome 
• heavy 
• hulking 
• ponderous 
• unwieldy