maladroit
Americanadjective
adjective
-
showing or characterized by clumsiness; not dexterous
-
tactless and insensitive in behaviour or speech
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of maladroit
First recorded in 1665–75; from French, Middle French: literally “clumsy”; see origin at mal-, adroit
Explanation
If you are clumsy, you are maladroit. But the word can mean all kinds of clumsy. Trip over your words? You are verbally maladroit. Stumble in social situations? You're socially maladroit. When someone is adroit, they are graceful and nimble; they show a lot of dexterity. Maladroit is the opposite of that. It means clumsy, but with a hint of overall incompetence. If someone calls you maladroit, or says that you are a maladroit, they're not being the least bit nice. They mean that you've bungled something up with your fumbling.
Vocabulary lists containing maladroit
Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal
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Whoops! Synonyms for "Clumsy"
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2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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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.
Maladroit performances at similar hearings last year led to the resignations of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
From New York Times • May 8, 2024
In 2001, the rock band Weezer uploaded MP3s of unfinished songs to the band's website and invited fans to help frontman Rivers Cuomo decide which tracks should go on the album, eventually called Maladroit.
From Time • Jul. 8, 2010
Maladroit as he was, bearded Patrice Lumumba last week staged an erratic but undeniable demagogic comeback.
From Time Magazine Archive
He frequently comes across as a good-natured Mr. Maladroit, garbling his syntax, muddling his ideas and tripping over his applause lines.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
