ungainly

[uhn-geyn-lee]

adjective

ungainlier, ungainliest 

1. not graceful; awkward; unwieldy; clumsy.

   an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.

adverb

1. in an awkward manner.

ungainly

/ ʌnˈɡeɪnlɪ /

adjective

1. lacking grace when moving

2. difficult to move or use; unwieldy

3. rare,  crude or coarse

adverb

1. rare,  clumsily

Other Word Forms

• ungainliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ungainly¹

1150–1200; (adv.) Middle English ungeinliche, equivalent to un- un- ¹ + later Middle English geyn straight, well-disposed, handy (< Old Norse gegn straight, direct; compare Old Norse ūgegn unreasonable) + -liche -ly; (adj.) un- ¹ + obsolete gainly proper, becoming, gracious, Middle English gaynlych ( geyn as above + -lych -ly ); gainly, again

Word History and Origins

Origin of ungainly¹

C17: from _un- ¹ + obsolete or dialect _gainly graceful

Example Sentences

For generations, Americans have marked Thanksgiving by wrestling with the perfect way to prepare and serve turkey, a bird known for its ungainly size, dry texture and lack of distinguishing flavor.

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A handful of rare and cranky antiques are powering the ungainly Hollywood resurgence of VistaVision.

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Everyone agrees it looks ungainly, but it's the least worst solution in the circumstances.

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When her rival, Poot’s Thea, arrives underdressed, Hedda forces her into a hideous frock with fussy bows and an ungainly skirt.

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Sam Quinones celebrates this ungainly instrument and its players in “The Perfect Tuba,” a delightfully offbeat book with unexpectedly profound overtones.

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Related Words

• awkward 
• bulky 
• clumsy 
• unwieldy