unwieldy

Or un·wield·ly

[uhn-weel-dee]

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

unwieldy

/ ʌnˈwiːldɪ /

adjective

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

2. ungainly; clumsy

Other Word Forms

• unwieldily adverb
• unwieldiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unwieldy¹

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

Example Sentences

He had complained upon arriving last year that his squad was too big and too unwieldy.

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She said she’s grown unnerved by the financial incentive lawyers like hers have in amassing unwieldy numbers of clients.

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The role is a new creation, designed to give Sir Keir Starmer firmer command of the government machine he has complained is sluggish and unwieldy.

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It is – one official said – "quite unwieldy", and some differ on how much Europe should commit to Ukraine's future security.

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Such an effort could be unwieldy, and it would require congressional approval.

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Related Words

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