ham-fisted

British  

adjective

1. informal lacking dexterity or elegance; clumsy

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Example Sentences

That, or it’s a ham-fisted effort to shut down the rumors about Katie Miller running off, however temporarily, with Elon Musk.

From Salon • Sep. 8, 2025

Now there’s a ham-fisted goon in an ill-fitting valet attendant’s coat rummaging in broad daylight through all of the keys—all of that private information, previously given in trust, handled with care, and regulated by law.

From Slate • Feb. 3, 2025

In a joint motion to dismiss, lawyers for the Mahoneys and other defendants described Flannery’s lawsuit as “a ham-fisted intimidation technique” designed to smother them with legal fees.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2024

It's certainly not her finest work - a vendetta disguised as a pop song, with a ham-fisted chorus that lacks her usual melodic instincts.

From BBC • Oct. 13, 2023

Phony rules, which proliferate like urban legends and are just as hard to eradicate, are responsible for vast amounts of ham-fisted copyediting and smarty-pants one-upmanship.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker