clumsy Definition
clumsy (klum′zē)
adjective -·sier, -·si·est
- lacking grace or skill in movement; awkward
- awkwardly shaped or made; ill-constructed
- badly contrived; inelegant a clumsy style
Etymology: ME clumsid, numb with cold, pp. of clumsen, to benumb < ON base akin to Swed dial klummsen, to benumb with the cold; akin to clam: for IE base see climb
clumsy Related Forms
clum′·sily adverb
clum′·si·ness noun
clumsy Synonyms
clumsy Usage Examples
Modifying Another Word
- somewhat: The ECB does not help itself by its often somewhat clumsy use of words.
- rather: Using sets The techniques used to grow the arrays in the code shown above are rather clumsy to say the least.
- slightly: Eve was in a happy - if not slightly clumsy mood.
- extremely: To make matters worse, it's all dealt with in an extremely clumsy fashion within the film.
- particularly: A particularly clumsy timbered truss was used to support the outshut.
- sometimes: That said, the film's simplistic narrative, and sometimes clumsy dialog doesn't give her much to work with.
Preposition: by
comparison: They are so very slender and all the reinforced concrete ones which I have designed have been clumsy by comparison.
Infinitive complement
use: Their disadvantage is that they are slightly clumsy to use, requiring you to supply a separate function.
Modifies a noun
- oaf: Would you like to make the buttons bigger you clumsy oaf.
- attempt: The priest should forgive his clumsy attempt at humor.
- handling: Their clumsy handling has only added to the public's outrage.
- challenge: Reds defender Liam Coyne's clumsy challenge on Rob Ward was adjudged by referee Dave Benton to be a penalty.
- finger: Interface - With my fat clumsy fingers, I struggle to interface with most of my devices.
- phrase: This rather clumsy phrase is abbreviated to the placebo effect.
Used with adjective complement
- seem: And wielding the right-hand bit around as a mouse just seems plain clumsy.
- feel: I feel clumsy, insufficiently prepared, a little unworthy perhaps.
- look: It even looks clumsy, don't you agree?
- sound: Planning and control could be called'managing the operation on a day-to-day basis' except that it sounds too clumsy.
- become: Even at the level of letter identification, the layer model become clumsy.
- get: When they don't we tend to go round their house and get clumsy.
Browse dictionary entries near clumsy
- ‹ clumsiness
- ‹ clumsily
- ‹ clumpy
- ‹ clump
- ‹ clumber (spaniel)
- ‹ clumber
- ‹ Cluj-Napoca
- ‹ clueless
- ‹ clue in
- ‹ clue
- clung ›
- clunk ›
- clunker ›
- clunky ›
- Cluny ›
- Cluny lace ›
- clupeid ›
- cluster ›
- cluster analysis ›
- cluster bomb ›

