as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
an unwieldy machine that requires two people to operate it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwieldy
The replacement unit has proven reliable, but unwieldy.
—
Kat Merck, WIRED, 5 Feb. 2025
Whatever the song wants to say is impossible to fight against, even if unwieldy or strange.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 18 Dec. 2024
Due to their unwieldy shape, crystal decanters are hard to situate securely in a dishwasher, and rocks glasses are tough but fragile.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Seedlings have visibly outgrown their containers and have become leggy, top-heavy, or unwieldy.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Kat Merck, WIRED, 5 Feb. 2025
Whatever the song wants to say is impossible to fight against, even if unwieldy or strange.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 18 Dec. 2024
Due to their unwieldy shape, crystal decanters are hard to situate securely in a dishwasher, and rocks glasses are tough but fragile.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Seedlings have visibly outgrown their containers and have become leggy, top-heavy, or unwieldy.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwieldy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwieldy
Adjective
-
Kisses her mouth, but the gesture is awkward, clumsy; their teeth strike together, and Brianna winces.—
Joyce Carol Oates,
The New Yorker,
16 Mar. 2025
-
As well as making a star of Alicia Silverstone, the original movie showcased the talents of Paul Rudd who played her stepbrother Josh (and went onto become Phoebe’s partner in Friends and take on the role of Ant Man) and the late Brittany Murphy, who played Cher’s clumsy friend Tai.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Historically an awkward public speaker, Johnson nevertheless saw the invitation as an opportunity to promote his plan for a voting rights bill.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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Things only get less interesting as that love triangles widens into an awkward kind of square, the chiaroscuro splendor of Soderbergh’s cinematography laboring to compensate for a murder-mystery that’s as scattered and impenetrable as Berlin itself.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Eliminating the department altogether would be a cumbersome task, which likely would require an act of Congress.—
Annie Ma and Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
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The team concluded that based on the spinal column, the combination of a great white build with the megalodon's much longer length would have simply proved too cumbersome.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
Ars Technica,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Examples imported from 1975 through 1985 had rather ungainly impact bumpers, so early, chrome-bumper cars are aesthetically more desirable.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
21 Feb. 2025
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You're locked into an ungainly, spread armed, weak kneed Character: snowplow.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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For over an hour at Molineux, Everton’s attack had been clunky.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
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These terminals are also more clunky and less easy to use.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwieldy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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