awkward en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈoː.kwəd/ (Australia)
- (US) audio cot-caught
- (Australia) audio
- (US) audio
- /ˈɔk.wɚd/ (General-American)
- /ˈɑk.wɚd/ (cot-caught-merger)
- /ˈɔːk.wəd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈaːk.wɐd/ (Northumbria)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂époh₃kʷos Proto-Germanic *abuhaz Old Norse ǫfugrder. Middle English awke English awk Proto-Indo-European *wert-der. Proto-Germanic *wardaz Old English -weard English -ward English awkward From awk (“odd, clumsy”) + -ward. Compare Middle English aukeward (“in the wrong direction”).
Meanings
-
Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
John was awkward at performing the trick. He'll have to practice to improve.
-
Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing.
An awkward silence had fallen.
That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.
-
Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
I'm very awkward at parties.
Things got awkward when my boss tried a cheesy pick-up line on me.
-
Perverse; adverse; difficult to handle.
Clearing up rock and fallen vegetation at such an awkward site required a team of specialist geoengineers.
2020 August 26, Andrew Mourant, “Reinforced against future flooding”, in Rail, page 61:These cabinets are going to be very awkward when we move.
He's a right awkward chap.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more awkward | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most awkward | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
handy · graceful · skillful · amiable · gainly · dexterous · cool
Deriveds
awkward turtle · awkweird · awkwardly · awky · awkwardness · awkward age · unawkward · awkward squad · awkwardish
Synonyms
lubberly · clumsy · cantankerous · gauche · ungraceful · maladroit · recalcitrant · gawky · unhandy
Translations (166)
nl ongemakkelijk (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · es premioso (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · ja ぎごちない (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de schüchtern (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · fi vastahakoinen (perverse; adverse; untoward) · it poco maneggevole (perverse; adverse; untoward) · es torpe (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · pt tímida (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · de ungeschickt (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · fr gauche (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · ga crúbach (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de awkward (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · uk незгра́бний (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · fi kömpelö (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · de peinlich (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ca incòmode (perverse; adverse; untoward) · ko 서투르다 (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · pt desajeitado (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · mk непри́јатен (perverse; adverse; untoward) · ca retret (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · de verlegen (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · it maldestro (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · id canggung (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de verdreht (perverse; adverse; untoward) · es delicado (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · it poco opportuno (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de umständlich (perverse; adverse; untoward) · it imbarazzante (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · da akavet (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · it goffo (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de umständlich (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · tr beceriksiz (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · ru неудо́бный (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · pt inseguro (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · ru нело́вкий (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · cs nešikovný (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · tr uygunsuz (perverse; adverse; untoward) · pt bisonho (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · got 𐌰𐌲𐌻𐍃 (perverse; adverse; untoward) · de tölpelhaft (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de tollpatschig (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de umständlich (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · tr garip (perverse; adverse; untoward) · fi hankala (perverse; adverse; untoward) · it difficile (perverse; adverse; untoward) · la inconcinnus (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · es desgarbado (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · sv pinsam (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · lv neveikls (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · pdt onjeschekjt (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ms canggung (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · es embarazoso (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · no klønete (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · el δύσκολος (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · be нязгра́бны (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · lt nepatogus (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de peinlich (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · eo maloportuna (perverse; adverse; untoward) · cmn 彆扭 /别扭 (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · fa ناجور (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · fr inconvenant (perverse; adverse; untoward) · de patschert (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · eo konsterna (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · uk незручни́й (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · no klumsete (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de Umstände machend (perverse; adverse; untoward) · fr embarrassant (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · mi tahangoi (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · fi vaikea (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · pt desconcertante (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · bg непохватен (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · lv neveikls (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · it delicato (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · mk не́смасен (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · fi nolo (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · es atravesado (perverse; adverse; untoward) · es dificultoso (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ro neîndemânatic (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · is vandræðalegur (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · fi vaivaannuttava (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · pt tímido (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · lt nerangus (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · tl asiwa (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · sv stel (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · mk неи́скусен (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · bg неловък (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · no pinlig (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · tr kullanışsız (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · pt incómodo (perverse; adverse; untoward) · es desmañado (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · es difícil (perverse; adverse; untoward) · de awkward (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · nl onhandig (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de beklemmend (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · lt nejaukus (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · id kikuk (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · eo mallerta (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · ca incòmode (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · es incómodo (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ca maldestre (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · it scomodo (perverse; adverse; untoward) · mk не́смасен (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · lv neveikls (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · is pínlegur (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ja 気まずい (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · nb klein (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · cmn 尷尬 /尴尬 (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de unbeholfen (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · bg неудобен (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · fi kiusallinen (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de unbeholfen (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · eo plumpa (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · ko 어색하다 (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ja 不器用な (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · bg несръчен (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de unangenehm (perverse; adverse; untoward) · is klunnalegur (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · tr sakar (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · be няўклю́дны (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · be нехлямя́жы (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · pl nieśmiały (perverse; adverse; untoward) · ru неуклю́жий (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · pt insegura (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · ru нело́вкий (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ja 不便な (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · bg неприятен (perverse; adverse; untoward) · sv stel (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · hu kínos (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · es desgarbilado (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · fi hankala (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · pl nieprzyjemny (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · id canggung (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · pt constrangedor (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · mk не́згоден (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · sv tafatt (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · cs nepříjemný (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · es embarazoso (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · it impacciato (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · fr maladroit (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · mi ninipa (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de verkorkst (perverse; adverse; untoward) · id memalukan (perverse; adverse; untoward) · de umständlich (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · bg неудобен (perverse; adverse; untoward) · it imbarazzato (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · de ungelenk (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · de patschert (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · sv genant (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · fi kömpelö (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · it inopportuno (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ro stângaci (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · ca inconvenient (perverse; adverse; untoward) · de unangenehm (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ru затрудни́тельный (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · nl genant (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · eo senaplombiga (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · mk непри́јатен (lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction) · mk не́згоден (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · mk те́рсене (perverse; adverse; untoward) · el αδέξιος (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · mk не́згоден (perverse; adverse; untoward) · tl matungal (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ga ciotrúnta (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · cs neobratný (lacking dexterity in the use of the hands) · de betreten (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing) · ga anásta (not easily managed or effected; embarrassing)