Awkward (Adjective)
Meaning 1
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?".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- His attempt at a romantic dinner was marred by his awkward table manners.
- Her cooking show was canceled due to her awkward on-camera presence.
- The politician's clumsy apology for the scandal only made things worse.
- The teacher tried to help the student, but his awkward explanation of the math concept confused her even more.
- The stand-up comedian's jokes fell flat due to his awkward delivery and timing.
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Meaning 2
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".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- She tripped over her own feet, revealing her awkward side to the entire dance floor.
- The interview went badly, with the job candidate stumbling over her words in an awkward attempt to impress.
- After injuring his knee, he moved with an awkward gait, favoring his good leg.
- His nervous, fidgety movements made for an awkward conversation with the crush he'd been trying to muster the courage to talk to for weeks.
- She's never been a skilled musician, and her awkward playing on the piano resulted in more discordant notes than beautiful melodies.
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Meaning 3
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".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The large and bulky box was an awkward shape to fit into the car trunk.
- Her grandmother's antique vase was an awkward thing to carry down the stairs.
- The oversized and cumbersome equipment was an awkward burden for the hikers.
- The long and gangly branches of the tree made it an awkward obstacle to navigate.
- The heavy and unwieldy package was an awkward load for the delivery person to manage.
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Meaning 4
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".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The conversation was filled with awkward silences, making it clear that the two were no longer comfortable around each other.
- The politician's gaffe left him in an awkward position, struggling to recover from the fallout.
- Her comment about his weight was an awkward moment in an otherwise pleasant evening.
- The team's coach had to address the awkward situation of a player being caught cheating during a game.
- The meeting ended with an awkward pause, as no one knew how to respond to the boss's sudden announcement.
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Meaning 5
Causing inconvenience; "they arrived at an awkward time".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- It was an awkward time to ask for a loan since my brother had just lost his job.
- The renovations made the small space feel even more awkward to navigate.
- His abrupt departure created an awkward silence in the room.
- They scheduled the meeting at an awkward hour, right in the middle of rush hour.
- The narrow staircase proved to be an awkward obstacle for the elderly woman.
Meaning 6
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".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- She felt awkward at the dinner party, struggling to make conversation with her date's family.
- The new employee was awkward in meetings, rarely speaking up and avoiding eye contact.
- He was awkward around his ex-girlfriend, unsure of how to act or what to say.
- The shy teenager was awkward on her first date, fidgeting with her napkin and stumbling over her words.
- The celebrity was awkward during the interview, seeming uncomfortable with the personal questions.