Definition of 'awkward'
2. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE, oft ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]
Something that is awkward to use or carry is difficult to use or carry because of its design. A job that is awkward is difficult to do.
5. adjective
If you say that someone is awkward, you are critical of them because you find them unreasonable and difficult to live with or deal with.
[disapproval]
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
awkward in British English
adjective
1.
the new recruits were awkward in their exercises
2.
despite a great deal of practice she remained an awkward dancer
5.
embarrassed
he felt awkward about leaving
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
awkwardly (ˈawkwardly) adverb
awkwardness (ˈawkwardness)
noun
Word origin
C14 awk, from Old Norse öfugr turned the wrong way round + -wardWord Frequency
awkward in American English
adjective
SYNONYMY NOTE: awkward implies unfitness for smooth, easy functioning and has the broadest application of
the terms here, suggesting ungracefulness, inconvenience, tactlessness, embarrassment,
etc. [an awkward implement, step, position, remark, etc.]; clumsy, emphasizing stiffness or bulkiness, suggests a lack of flexibility or dexterity,
unwieldiness, etc. [a clumsy build, clumsy galoshes]; maladroit, inept both imply tactlessness in social relations, maladroit often emphasizing this as a tendency and inept stressing inappropriateness of a particular act or remark1.
an awkward dancer, an awkward style
OPPOSITES: deft, handy, graceful
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
awkwardly (ˈawkwardly)
adverb
awkwardness (ˈawkwardness)
noun
Word Frequency
awkward in American English
(ˈɔkwərd)
adjective
SYNONYMS 1. unskillful, unhandy, inexpert.ANTONYMS 1. deft, adroit. 2. graceful.1.
lacking skill or dexterity; clumsy
3.
lacking social graces or manners
a simple, awkward frontiersman
6.
hard to deal with; difficult; requiring skill, tact, or the like
an awkward situation
an awkward customer
7.
embarrassing or inconvenient; caused by lack of social grace
an awkward moment
8. obsolete
untoward; perverse
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
awkwardly adverb
awkwardness
noun
Word origin
[1300–50; ME, equiv. to awk(e), auk(e) backhanded, OE *afoc (‹ ON ǫfugr turned the wrong way; c. OS, OHG abuh, OE afu(h)lic wrong, off) + -ward -ward]Examples of 'awkward' in a sentence
awkward
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In other languages
awkward
British English: awkward
/ˈɔːkwəd/ ADJECTIVE
An awkward situation is embarrassing and difficult to deal with.
It was a bit awkward for me.
- American English: awkward /ˈɔkwərd/
- Arabic: مُحْرِج
- Brazilian Portuguese: desajeitado
- Chinese: 笨拙的
- Croatian: neugodan
- Czech: trapný
- Danish: akavet
- Dutch: lastig
- European Spanish: incómodo embarazoso
- Finnish: kömpelö
- French: gauche maladroit
- German: ungünstig
- Greek: αδέξιος
- Italian: imbarazzante
- Japanese: 不器用な
- Korean: 서투른
- Norwegian: keitet
- Polish: dziwny
- European Portuguese: embaraçoso
- Romanian: incomod
- Russian: затруднительный
- Latin American Spanish: incómodo embarazoso
- Swedish: generad
- Thai: อึดอัดใจ, ลำบากใจ
- Turkish: aksi, beceriksiz, ters, sıkıntılı
- Ukrainian: незручний
- Vietnamese: ngượng ngịu
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Definition of awkward from the Collins English Dictionary
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