ungainly

American  

[uhn-geyn-lee] / ʌnˈgeɪn li /

adjective

ungainlier, ungainliest

1. not graceful; awkward; unwieldy; clumsy.

   an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.

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adverb

1. in an awkward manner.

ungainly British  

/ ʌnˈɡeɪnlɪ /

adjective

1. lacking grace when moving

2. difficult to move or use; unwieldy

3. rare crude or coarse

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adverb

1. rare clumsily

Other Word Forms

• ungainliness noun

Etymology

Origin of ungainly

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

Example Sentences

If their first step toward the Super Bowl is going to be this ungainly, how much longer can they stay upright?

From Los Angeles Times

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.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• awkward
• bulky
• clumsy
• unwieldy