INDEX:
1. doing things in a careless and awkward way
2. moving in an awkward way
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ GRACEFUL
see also
↑ CARELESS
↑ NERVOUS
↑ CONFIDENT/NOT CONFIDENT
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1. doing things in a careless and awkward way
▷ clumsy /ˈklʌmzi/ [adjective]
someone who is clumsy does things in a careless way and often breaks things or has accidents :
▪ I was so shy and clumsy when I was seventeen.
▪ Andrew made a clumsy attempt to kiss her, but she pushed him away.
▪ You clumsy idiot! Look what you’ve done to my car.
clumsily [adverb]
▪ Sam took a cigarette, lit it clumsily and sat down.
clumsiness [uncountable noun]
▪ He apologized for his clumsiness and offered to pay for the damage.
▷ be all thumbs also be all fingers and thumbs British /biː ɔːl ˈθʌmz, biː ɔːl ˌfɪŋgəʳz ən ˈθʌmz/ [verb phrase]
to have difficulty doing something with your hands, especially because you are in a hurry or feel nervous :
▪ Can you sew this button on for me? I’m all fingers and thumbs this morning.
go/become all fingers and thumbs
▪ I can’t type at all when people are watching me. I go all fingers and thumbs.
▷ accident-prone /ˈæksɪd ə nt ˌprəʊn, ˈæksəd ə nt ˌprəʊn/ [adjective]
someone who is accident-prone often has accidents or breaks things :
▪ Lots of kids are accident-prone but they soon grow out of it.
▪ Studies have shown women to be less accident-prone than men.
▷ klutz /klʌts/ [countable noun] American informal
someone who annoys you because they do things in a careless way and often break things or have accidents :
▪ ‘Look what you’ve done, you silly klutz!’ Nathan said angrily.
▪ Tom’s a real klutz when it comes to baseball - even if he hit the ball he’d trip on the way to first base.
2. moving in an awkward way
▷ uncoordinated /ˌʌnkəʊˈɔːʳdɪneɪtəd, ˌʌnkəʊˈɔːʳdəneɪtəd/ [adjective]
not able to control your movements skilfully, and therefore not usually good at sports and other physical activities :
▪ I can’t play tennis very well -- I’m too uncoordinated.
▪ There was Thomas, walking towards me in his strange uncoordinated way.
▷ awkward /ˈɔːkwəʳd/ [adjective]
moving in a way that looks clumsy and uncomfortable :
▪ She felt awkward in her high-heeled shoes.
▪ Bud turned round and gave an awkward wave out of the car window.
awkwardly [adverb]
▪ I fell really awkwardly and twisted my ankle.
▷ ungainly /ʌnˈgeɪnli/ [adjective]
moving in an ungraceful way - use this about people or things that are very big :
▪ Dinosaurs were huge ungainly animals with tiny brains.
▪ She was old, fat and ungainly, and had to struggle to get to her feet.