clumsiness
Americannoun
-
awkwardness or lack of skill or grace in movement or action.
In spite of their large size and reputed clumsiness, bears are fleet-footed.
-
the fact or quality of being awkwardly done or made, or of being poorly contrived, difficult to use, etc..
The story wasn't bad, but had moments of clumsiness.
Despite the winning concept of a phone combined with a gaming console, this version was doomed by the clumsiness of its design.
Etymology
Origin of clumsiness
First recorded in 1650–60; clumsy ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )
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.
She spilled Coke on her sari and figured her clumsiness would doom the engagement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025
Some of this clumsiness is simply the endearing choreography of learning something new.
From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025
The game, unsurprisingly, was a cavalcade of clumsiness.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024
A child's personality and behavior may change, and clumsiness or stumbling develops between the ages of five and ten.
From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2024
Major Major had never played basketball or any other game before, but his great, bobbing height and rapturous enthusiasm helped make up for his innate clumsiness and lack of experience.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
