awkwardness
/'ɔ:kwədnis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
The new student felt a moment of awkwardness when he tripped entering the classroom.
Definition
- Noun:
- The state or quality of being awkward; lacking grace or skill in movement or manner: This refers to physical clumsiness or social ineptitude.
- The quality of causing or feeling embarrassment or inconvenience: This refers to a situation that is difficult to handle because it is socially uncomfortable or practically problematic.
- Unskillfulness resulting from a lack of experience or training: This refers to a lack of proficiency or dexterity.
Usage Examples
- Physical/Social Clumsiness:
- His awkwardness on the dance floor was endearing.
- She felt a sudden awkwardness when she couldn't remember his name.
- Embarrassing or Inconvenient Situation:
- There was an awkwardness in the room after the argument.
- The awkwardness of the meeting time made it hard for many to attend.
- Lack of Skill:
- The awkwardness of his first attempts at carpentry was expected.
Advanced Usage
- "to feel the awkwardness of": to be acutely aware of the uncomfortable nature of a situation.
- He felt the full awkwardness of being the only person who didn't get the joke.
- "a moment of awkwardness": a brief period of social discomfort or embarrassment.
- A moment of awkwardness passed before they started a new conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Awkward (adj): lacking grace or ease; difficult to handle or deal with.
- He gave an awkward smile.
- It was an awkward question.
- Awkwardly (adv): in an awkward manner.
- He sat awkwardly on the small stool.
Synonyms
- Clumsiness: lack of physical coordination.
- Inelegance: lack of refinement or grace.
- Embarrassment: a feeling of self-consciousness or shame.
- Inconvenience: the state of causing trouble or difficulty.
- Ineptitude: lack of skill or ability.
Antonyms
- Grace: smooth, controlled, and pleasing movement or manner.
- Ease: absence of difficulty or effort.
- Poise: graceful and elegant bearing in a person.
- Skillfulness: having or showing skill.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- Social awkwardness: difficulty in social interactions, often characterized by anxiety or uncertainty about what to say or do.
- His social awkwardness made parties a challenge for him.
The new student felt a moment of awkwardness when he tripped entering the classroom.
Noun
- trouble in carrying or managing caused by bulk or shape
- the movers cursed the unwieldiness of the big piano
- the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed (as by embarrassment)
- the carriage of someone whose movements and posture are ungainly or inelegant
- the quality of an embarrassing situation
- he sensed the awkwardness of his proposal
- unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training