- awk´ward|ly
- awk|ward «K wuhrd», adjective.1. a) not graceful or skillful in movement or shape; clumsy: »
Seals are very awkward on land, but graceful in the water.
b) not done with grace or skill; unable to do or use with ease or effectiveness: »an awkward drawing of stick figures. His awkward speech made him difficult to understand.
3. not easily managed; difficult to negotiate: »This is an awkward corner to turn.
4. inconvenient or embarrassing: »an awkward moment. He asked me such an awkward question that I did not know what to reply.
╂[< obsolete awk perverse(ly), in the wrong way < Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic öfugr) + English -ward]–awk´ward|ly, adverb.–awk´ward|ness, noun.Synonym Study 1a Awkward, clumsy, ungainly mean not graceful. Awkward means lacking grace, ease, quickness, and skill: »The girl is still in the awkward age. An awkward girl is no help in the kitchen.
Clumsy suggests moving heavily and stiffly: »The clumsy boy bumped into all the furniture.
Ungainly means awkward in moving one's body: »He is as ungainly as a newborn calf.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.