unwieldy
Americanadjective
adjective
-
too heavy, large, or awkwardly shaped to be easily handled
-
ungainly; clumsy
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
Explanation
If you see an unwieldy person coming down the aisle of the bus with an unwieldy box, you may want to step aside because that's a double dose of clumsy. It's an awkward person carrying a box that is difficult to manage. Something that is wieldy is easy to control or handle, so something unwieldy is not. However, the un- form of the word is much more common. The base word wieldy has its roots in Old English, meaning "to handle or control" — used usually in reference to a weapon. You would not want an unwieldy person attempting to wield an unwieldy sword!
Vocabulary lists containing unwieldy
The Giver
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Power Prefix: un-
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This Week in Words: September 29 - October 5, 2018
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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.
Still, investors’ concerns about how unwieldy CVS has become haven’t gone away entirely.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
In 2014, Offill’s novel “Dept. of Speculation” was published and became lauded for its fragmentary style, often unwieldy single sentences that offered a complicated portrait of marriage.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
Transit times between two lines are also often high, and unwieldy.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
Two problems: At the time, renewable energy cost too much to make it affordable, and adding water usually turns quicklime into an unwieldy goop.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
“Beowulf Incorrigible! Cassiopeia Incorrigible! Three more unwieldy names would be difficult to imagine. But, as the saying goes, ‘Nothing good was ever learned from eavesdropping, so mind your business and let others mind theirs.’
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
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.
