unwieldy

American  

[uhn-weel-dee] / ʌnˈwil di /

Or unwieldly

adjective

unwieldier, unwieldiest

1. not wieldy; wielded with difficulty; not readily handled or managed in use or action, as from size, shape, or weight; awkward; ungainly.

   Synonyms:

   clumsy, unmanageable, bulky

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unwieldy British  

/ ʌnˈwiːldɪ /

adjective

1. too heavy, large, or awkwardly shaped to be easily handled

2. ungainly; clumsy

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Other Word Forms

• unwieldily adverb
• unwieldiness noun

Etymology

Origin of unwieldy

First recorded in 1350–1400, unwieldy is from the Middle English word unweldy. See un- ¹, wieldy

Example Sentences

They acknowledge the 27-country bloc is unwieldy but see it as a defender of European sovereignty.

From The Wall Street Journal

With a vast cast of characters, the novel is at times unwieldy.

From Los Angeles Times

With the official attendance tally reaching a new high, some longtime researchers bemoaned how unwieldy the conference had become.

From The Wall Street Journal

With 16 contestants working in pairs, “What’s in the Box?” is at best an unwieldy format.

From The Wall Street Journal

Driscoll has earned praise from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill for his aggressive push to modernize the Army and overhaul the service’s unwieldy procurement program, lawmakers and Senate aides said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• burdensome
• clumsy
• cumbersome
• inconvenient
• massive
• onerous
• ponderous
• ungainly
• unmanageable