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Meaning of unwieldy in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˌənˈwildi/

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  1. Classifying Adjective

    unwieldy

    Definitions

    1. lacking grace in movement or posture

    Examples

    • « a gawky lad with long ungainly legs »
    • « clumsy fingers »
    • « what an ungainly creature a giraffe is »
    • « heaved his unwieldy figure out of his chair »

    Synonyms

    • awkward
  2. Qualitative Adjective

    unwieldy

    Etymology

    late Middle English (in the sense ‘lacking strength, infirm’): from un-‘not’ + wieldy (in the obsolete sense ‘active’)

    Definitions

    1. difficult to use or handle or manage because of size or weight or shape

    Examples

    • « we set about towing the unwieldy structure into the shelter »
    • « almost dropped the unwieldy parcel »

    Synonyms

    • awkward
    • bunglesome
    • clumsy
    • ungainly
    • cumbersome
    • cumbrous

    Antonyms

    • wieldy
    • manageable

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