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Showing results for unwieldy. Search instead for unwifely.
Synonyms

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
unwieldy British  
/ ʌnˈwiːldɪ /

adjective

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

  2. ungainly; clumsy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

As I wrote in Slate in December, Artemis has an unwieldy architecture and requires some important pieces that don’t yet exist.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

Their stocks traded at lower valuations than their pure-play peers because investors felt the conglomerates were more unwieldy.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Critics say the technology is still too unwieldy to be used for automated cyber attacks.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

Again, Dudley appeared to grapple with thoughts too unwieldy for expression before mumbling, “You saved my life.”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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.