ungainly
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
-
lacking grace when moving
-
difficult to move or use; unwieldy
-
rare crude or coarse
adverb
Other Word Forms
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 ); cf. gainly, again
Explanation
Ungainly is the opposite of graceful, convenient, or easy. A clumsy dancer boogies in an ungainly or awkward fashion. Though you see gain in ungainly, the word does not have to do with growing, or getting ahead. Ungainly comes from an Old Norse word meaning "not convenient" or "awkward." If you want to impress your gym teacher or sports coach, first appear ungainly and then surprise her with your great athletic ability. Applying to college can be an ungainly process without an advisor to help.
Vocabulary lists containing ungainly
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"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Lord of the Flies
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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.
See Examples For:
At the Park Avenue Armory, Benjamin Millepied’s camera-assisted contemporary version of Prokofiev’s Shakespeare-inspired ballet makes an ungainly patchwork out of the classic tale.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
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 ● Jan. 11, 2026
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 ● Nov. 24, 2025
Everyone agrees it looks ungainly, but it's the least worst solution in the circumstances.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025
Uncle Mbaezi lay facedown in an ungainly twist, legs splayed.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
It will be the rawest, gauntest, ungainliest brute that ever scared the motor-bicycles on the Northampton Road.
From The Research Magnificent by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
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.
