How to Use clumsy in a Sentence

clumsy

adjective
Definition of clumsynext
Synonyms for clumsynext
  • I'm sorry about spilling your wine—that was very clumsy of me.
  • These students are not as polished, maybe a little clumsy, maybe not so bright.
    — Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2021
  • Yet, this clumsy system remains our best hope for survival.
    — John D. Sutter, CNN, 15 Nov. 2021
  • Rugged iPad Case for Kids Whether clumsy or busy, some kids seem to drop everything.
    — Tanya Edwards, Parents, 13 Mar. 2024
  • Over the years, the portrait of Biden that has emerged through his interviews, debates, and speeches is of an agile thinker and a clumsy talker.
    — Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 June 2024
  • The result was a recipe so simple and palate pleasing with its fat and salt content that even clumsy and harried cooks could master it in 10 minutes.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Nov. 2021
  • Perhaps that’s why so much of this early new era of MLS has felt so clumsy, so ill-fitting and so unoriginal.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024
  • Others represent clumsy but earnest attempts at group definition by people who seem to realize just how much energy is around them.
    — John Herrman, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2021
  • The labels of Catholic and Protestant have been left as a clumsy shorthand for the cultural and political divide.
    — Megan Specia, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2024
  • This year’s winners and finalists include a clumsy elephant mud bath, a gossiping gaggle of raccoons, and a young otter’s swimming lesson.
    — Corryn Wetzel, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2021
  • Golden State can get a little clumsy with all of its off-the-ball movement and the Warriors have the fourth-worst turnover rate in the Association.
    — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 30 Nov. 2021
  • Just the intentionally clumsy eating table—as opposed to dining table—shows how far from society Jackie has slipped.
    — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2024
  • The main feature of the dance is a clumsy bit of hand jive.
    — Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2022
  • My body is a lovely, clumsy thing to move through the world in.
    — Olivia Treynor, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2023
  • This is carbonara for the clumsy, the impatient and the greedy.
    — Eric Kim, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2023
  • The results of Sam’s attempts are clumsy and a bit of a mixed bag.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 June 2023
  • Even one of the extras notes how clumsy and comic the movie is.
    — Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2022
  • Another one of the boys laughed and called him a clumsy d-word.
    — Damon Young, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2022
  • And this—clumsy segue alert—is one way to pull out of a subscription!
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 June 2024
  • My clumsy, blue skis begin to skim the lake, like a sea gull scanning for snacks.
    — Gloria Goodale, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
  • Worse still, from the French view, the Emperor is portrayed as a clumsy lover.
    — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2023
  • Humpback whales lack lips, so the calves can be clumsy and on very rare occasions miss some of the milk.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
  • Calling all parents, pet owners, and every other generally clumsy person: Walmart has entered the washable rug market and is bringing their low-price game to the table!
    — Hannah Jones, Country Living, 31 Oct. 2021
  • In the titular role, Duff shined as a sweet, clumsy teen who just wants to be popular.
    — Mekita Rivas, refinery29.com, 24 May 2022
  • So the paws are a little bit bigger, Marshall’s clumsy because of it.
    — Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2023
  • There’s a slapstick quality to the film, provided by the clumsy Robin.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024
  • None of this went over well and the Blazers appeared to be clumsy in their handling of the situation.
    — oregonlive, 3 Jan. 2022
  • In the play, Falstaff attempts to woo two married women in a clumsy bid to steal their fortunes.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
  • But the design of the exhibition is crowded and clumsy.
    — Washington Post, 6 May 2022
  • Lolla even reckons with one of the festival’s clumsiest moments.
    — Justin Curto, Vulture, 21 May 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clumsy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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