awkward

/'ɔ:kwəd/

Definition

Adjective:
- Socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner: Describes a feeling of unease, embarrassment, or a lack of confidence in social situations, often resulting in clumsy or hesitant behavior.
- Hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment: Refers to situations, moments, or questions that are difficult, embarrassing, or uncomfortable to handle.
- Not elegant or graceful in expression: Describes language, writing, or speech that is clumsy, difficult to read, or poorly phrased.
- Difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape: Describes physical objects that are bulky, unwieldy, or inconvenient to carry or use.
- Lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance: Describes a person's physical movements or actions as clumsy, uncoordinated, or unskilled.
- Causing inconvenience: Refers to a time or circumstance that is poorly timed or troublesome.

Usage Examples

Socially uncomfortable:
- He felt awkward and reserved at the party.
- She was awkward and ill at ease among strangers.
Hard to deal with:
- There was an awkward silence after his comment.
- He asked a few awkward questions about the finances.
Not elegant in expression:
- The report was written in a very awkward style.
- She made an awkward attempt to apologize.
Difficult to handle physically:
- It was an awkward bundle to carry up the stairs.
- The cello is an awkward instrument to transport.
Lacking grace in movement:
- He's an awkward dancer.
- Her awkward fingers fumbled with the tiny buttons.
Causing inconvenience:
- You've called at a rather awkward time.

Advanced Usage

"Awkward age": Refers to the period of adolescence, characterized by physical and social awkwardness.
- Teenagers often feel self-conscious during the awkward age.
"Awkward customer": (Idiomatic) A person who is difficult or troublesome to deal with.
- Be careful negotiating with him; he's a known awkward customer.

Variants and Related Words

Awkwardly (adverb): In an awkward manner.
- He shuffled awkwardly into the room.
Awkwardness (noun): The state or quality of being awkward.
- There was a palpable awkwardness in the air after the argument.

Synonyms

Related Phrases

To feel awkward: To experience a sense of social discomfort or embarrassment.
- I always feel awkward at large formal events.
An awkward silence: A pause in conversation that feels uncomfortable or tense.
- His joke was met with an awkward silence.

Related Idioms

To put someone in an awkward position: To cause someone to be in a difficult or embarrassing situation.
- Your request puts me in an awkward position with my boss.

Adjective

socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner
- awkward and reserved at parties
- ill at ease among eddies of people he didn't know
- was always uneasy with strangers
hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
- awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion
- an awkward pause followed his remark
- a sticky question
- in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign
not elegant or graceful in expression
- an awkward prose style
- a clumsy apology
- his cumbersome writing style
- if the rumor is true, can anything be more inept than to repeat it now?
difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape
- an awkward bundle to carry
- a load of bunglesome paraphernalia
- clumsy wooden shoes
- the cello, a rather ungainly instrument for a girl
lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance
- an awkward dancer
- an awkward gesture
- too awkward with a needle to make her own clothes
- his clumsy fingers produced an awkward knot
causing inconvenience
- they arrived at an awkward time

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