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Webster 1913 Edition

Awkward

Awk′ward

(a̤k′weẽrd)
,
Adj.
[
Awk
+
-ward
.]
1.
Wanting dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments; not dexterous; without skill; clumsy; wanting ease, grace, or effectiveness in movement; ungraceful;
as, he was
awkward
at a trick; an
awkward
boy.
And dropped an
awkward
courtesy.
Dryden.
2.
Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing.
A long and
awkward
process.
Macaulay.
An
awkward
affair is one that has gone wrong, and is difficult to adjust.
C. J. Smith.
3.
Perverse; adverse; untoward.
[Obs.]
“Awkward casualties.” “Awkward wind.”
Shak.
O blind guides, which being of an
awkward
religion, do strain out a gnat, and swallow up a cancel.
Udall.
Syn. – Ungainly; unhandy; clownish; lubberly; gawky; maladroit; bungling; inelegant; ungraceful; unbecoming.
–
Awkward
,
Clumsy
,
Uncouth
. Awkward has a special reference to outward deportment. A man is clumsy in his whole person, he is awkward in his gait and the movement of his limbs. Clumsiness is seen at the first view. Awkwardness is discovered only when a person begins to move. Hence the expressions, a clumsy appearance, and an awkward manner. When we speak figuratively of an awkward excuse, we think of a lack of ease and grace in making it; when we speak of a clumsy excuse, we think of the whole thing as coarse and stupid. We apply the term uncouth most frequently to that which results from the lack of instruction or training; as, uncouth manners; uncouth language.
–
Awk′ward-ly
(a̤k′weẽrd-ly̆)
,
adv.
–
Awk′ward-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition

Awkward

AWK'WARD

,
Adj.
[awk and ward.]
1.
Wanting dexterity in the use of the hands or of instruments; unready; not dexterous; bungling; untoward.
2.
Inelegant; unpolite; ungraceful in manners; clumsy; unnatural; bad.

Definition 2024

awkward

awkward

English

Adverb

awkward ‎(comparative more awkward, superlative most awkward)

  1. (obsolete) In a backwards direction.

Adjective

awkward ‎(comparative awkwarder or more awkward, superlative awkwardest or most awkward)

  1. 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.‎
  2. Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing.
    That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.‎
    An awkward silence had fallen.‎
  3. Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
    I'm very awkward at parties.‎
    Things get very awkward whenever 60-year old men use cheesy pick-up lines on me.‎
  4. Perverse; adverse; difficult to handle.
    He's a right awkward chap.‎
    These cabinets are going to be very awkward when we move.‎

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

awkward ‎(plural awkwards)

  1. Someone or something that is awkward.
    • 1912, ‎Eliza Ripley, Social Life in Old New Orleans, Being Recollections of My Girlhood, New York, N.Y.; London: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 2732890:
      Another important branch of deportment was to seat the awkwards stiffly on the extreme edge of a chair, fold the hands on the very precarious lap, droop the eyes in a pensive way.
    • 1998, Leo Marks, Between Silk and Cyanide: The Story of SOE's Code War, London: HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0-00-255944-7:
      'What periods are you talking about?' / 'The monthly awkwards. Didn't the girls at Molyneux have them when you were managing director?' / The Rabbit leaned forward, sniffing the air in the immediate vicinity. 'Either you've been drinking or you've got some girl into trouble. Or am I being unfair to you and it's both?'
    • 2014, Grace Helbig, Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown-up, New York, N.Y.: Touchstone Books, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-1-4767-8800-5, page 76:
      That is a way to make awkwards. And it's not fun to hang out with awkwards more than once.

Etymology

From awk ‎(“odd, clumsy”) +‎ -ward.

Pronunciation

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