adjective
-
awkward because of size, weight, or shape
cumbersome baggage
-
difficult because of extent or complexity
cumbersome accounts
Other Word Forms
- cumbersomely adverb
- cumbersomeness noun
Etymology
Origin of cumbersome
First recorded in 1325–75, cumbersome is from the Middle English word cummyrsum. See cumber, -some 1
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.
"I think you can have a school uniform without it being cumbersome," says Duncan, who also has a son who wears a blazer and tie to middle school.
From BBC
“That would be a cumbersome process. The tariffs have to be more specifically framed and the subject of an investigation,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
Shaffer succeeds in this regard, but the wordy play grows cumbersome in its final explanatory stages.
From Los Angeles Times
"It's unlikely that if Nike is faced with high tariffs in Vietnam, it'll consider India as the best alternative. India's onerous logistic costs, import duties and cumbersome customs regulations, all weigh it down," says Kishore.
From BBC
“In California, asking a business to stop selling your data should not be complicated or cumbersome.”
From Los Angeles Times
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.
