awkward
Americanadjective
-
lacking skill or dexterity.
- Synonyms:
- inexpert, unhandy, unskillful, inept, clumsy
-
lacking grace or ease in movement.
an awkward gesture;
an awkward dancer.
- Antonyms:
- graceful
-
lacking social graces or manners.
a simple, awkward frontiersman.
- Synonyms:
- unrefined, unpolished, gauche, ill-bred, unmannerly, ill-mannered, oafish
-
not well planned or designed for easy or effective use.
an awkward instrument;
an awkward method.
- Synonyms:
- troublesome, difficult, inconvenient, unmanageable, cumbersome, unwieldy
-
requiring caution; somewhat hazardous.
an awkward turn in the road.
- Synonyms:
- unsafe, risky, dangerous, treacherous, precarious, perilous, chancy
-
hard to deal with; difficult; requiring skill, tact, or the like.
an awkward situation;
an awkward customer.
-
embarrassing or inconvenient; caused by lack of social grace.
an awkward moment.
- Synonyms:
- touchy, ticklish, uncomfortable, difficult, trying, unpleasant
-
Obsolete. untoward; perverse.
adjective
-
lacking dexterity, proficiency, or skill; clumsy; inept
the new recruits were awkward in their exercises
-
ungainly or inelegant in movements or posture
despite a great deal of practice she remained an awkward dancer
-
unwieldy; difficult to use
an awkward implement
-
embarrassing
an awkward moment
-
embarrassed
he felt awkward about leaving
-
difficult to deal with; requiring tact
an awkward situation
an awkward customer
-
deliberately uncooperative or unhelpful
he could help but he is being awkward
-
dangerous or difficult
an awkward ascent of the ridge
-
obsolete perverse
Other Word Forms
- awkwardly adverb
- awkwardness noun
- unawkward adjective
- unawkwardly adverb
- unawkwardness noun
Etymology
Origin of awkward
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, equivalent to awk(e), auk(e) “backhanded,” (unattested) Old English afoc (from Old Norse ǫfugr “turned the wrong way, backwards”; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German abuh “wrong, bad,” Old English afu(h)lic “perverse”) + -ward suffix denoting direction; off, -ward
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.
They will try to make things awkward for Liverpool too, but I don't see it working out for them.
From BBC
Coaches often serve in loco parentis, guiding a developing prospect not only through training and tournaments but also the awkward riddles of growing up.
He added that recent headlines about NCHIs were "awkward and very damaging" for the police.
From BBC
Their goodwill is awkward, as it must be when an in-group member tries to commiserate with “the other,” but it is, nonetheless, sympathy, which is to say concern.
Both socially awkward, Watson approached him sitting alone at orientation and said hello.
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.
