1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
preteens feeling awkward at their first formal dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
her awkward handling of the seating arrangements at the wedding reception resulted in many hurt feelings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
the awkward situation of having to listen as your host and hostess quarrel loudly in the next room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in annoying
causing difficulty, discomfort, or annoyance
our surprise guests came at a very awkward time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in cumbersome
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
that manual can opener is awkward to hold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in unsteady
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner
an awkward person who is always tripping over herself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in unhandy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
an awkward catch of a fly ball
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of awkward
Sparks definitely weren't flying during an awkward moment at a Coldplay concert this week.
—
Melina Khan, USA Today, 18 July 2025
In the End, Tommy Fleetwood's Character Will Prevail Despite this awkward situation, Fleetwood has no plans to hold too many grudges about what happened.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
There had been an awkward conference call with Israeli management that morning.
—Literary Hub, 18 July 2025
Advertisement Advertisement To illustrate this point, consider the best man at a wedding who, instead of celebrating the couple, shares personal stories that only serve to embarrass them, often with awkward details that have no place in such a tender moment.
—Matt Abrahams, Time, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for awkward
Melina Khan, USA Today, 18 July 2025
In the End, Tommy Fleetwood's Character Will Prevail Despite this awkward situation, Fleetwood has no plans to hold too many grudges about what happened.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
There had been an awkward conference call with Israeli management that morning.
—Literary Hub, 18 July 2025
Advertisement Advertisement To illustrate this point, consider the best man at a wedding who, instead of celebrating the couple, shares personal stories that only serve to embarrass them, often with awkward details that have no place in such a tender moment.
—Matt Abrahams, Time, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for awkward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awkward
Adjective
-
For marketers, this is both exciting and uncomfortable.—
Francesca Pezzoli,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
But the odd tone of their recent fight when Miranda comments on Carrie’s flirtation with her writer neighbor Duncan (Jonathan Cake) is uncomfortable.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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And Hank’s own clumsy attempts at hypermasculine child-rearing often come from his father, Cotton (Toby Huss).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
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Gone are are the days of clumsy imagery and texts and fake sign-in pages that can be detected in an instant.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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Olympic Fail There was also an embarrassing mix-up at the 2012 Olympics when London organizers mistakenly featured the South Korea flag instead of North Korea when players were about to begin their game against Colombia.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
-
Not returning to Camp Nou in August will be very embarrassing for FC Barcelona Not returning to Camp Nou in August will be very embarrassing for FC Barcelona on August 10, especially after making a grand announcement that this would be the case.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Josh — Earnings season is super annoying for trend-following investment strategies.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
14 July 2025
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After witnesses identified him as the man who made the gestures, he was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County jail on charges of contacting a minor with intent to commit a lewd act and annoying or molesting a child.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Developers have complained for years that the city’s cumbersome construction permitting process takes far too long, adding costs to projects.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
22 July 2025
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The best thing of all are the performances of early American folk songs that the two men record on cumbersome equipment.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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So, what will moral and democratic revival look like when the ground beneath is unsteady?—
F. Willis Johnson,
Twin Cities,
10 July 2025
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Facial wrinkles, gray hairs, an unsteady walk: these all signal older age.—
Alice Park,
Time,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Pico’s other headsets are not sold in North America and ByteDance and the Trump administration have an uneasy relationship at best.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
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The carpenters’ stance has created a split in the labor movement that makes lawmakers uneasy and sometimes spills into public view.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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Set a Timer For particularly difficult or unpleasant tasks, set a timer for a short duration—for example, five to 30 minutes—and commit to working on that task until the time is up.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
17 July 2025
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There are telltale signs that there's too much moisture in your house, from condensation to unpleasant odors.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Awkward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awkward. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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