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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

awk·ward

Audio Help [awk-werd] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	lacking skill or dexterity; clumsy.

2.	lacking grace or ease in movement: an awkward gesture; an awkward dancer.

3.	lacking social graces or manners: a simple, awkward frontiersman.

4.	not well planned or designed for easy or effective use: an awkward instrument; an awkward method.

5.	requiring caution; somewhat hazardous; dangerous: an awkward turn in the road.

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.

[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

]

—Related forms

awk·ward·ly, adverb

awk·ward·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. unskillful, unhandy, inexpert.

—Antonyms 1. deft, adroit. 2. graceful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Awkward

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

awk·ward Audio Help (ôk'wərd) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Not graceful; ungainly.
1. Not dexterous; clumsy.
2. Clumsily or unskillfully performed: The opera was marred by an awkward aria.
3. Difficult to handle or manage: an awkward bundle to carry.
4. Difficult to effect; uncomfortable: an awkward pose.
5. Marked by or causing embarrassment or discomfort: an awkward remark; an awkward silence.
6. Requiring great tact, ingenuity, skill, and discretion: An awkward situation arose during the peace talks.
1. Difficult to handle or manage: an awkward bundle to carry.
2. Difficult to effect; uncomfortable: an awkward pose.
3. Marked by or causing embarrassment or discomfort: an awkward remark; an awkward silence.
4. Requiring great tact, ingenuity, skill, and discretion: An awkward situation arose during the peace talks.
1. Marked by or causing embarrassment or discomfort: an awkward remark; an awkward silence.
2. Requiring great tact, ingenuity, skill, and discretion: An awkward situation arose during the peace talks.

[Middle English awkeward, in the wrong way : awke, wrong (from Old Norse öfugr, backward; see apo- in Indo-European roots) + -ward, -ward.]

awk'ward·ly adv., awk'ward·ness n.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
awkward

1340, "in the wrong direction," from awk "back-handed" (obsolete since 1600s), from O.N. afugr "turned backwards" (from P.Gmc. *afug-, from PIE *apu-ko-, from base *apo- "off, away;" see apo-) + adverbial suffix -weard. Meaning "clumsy" first recorded 1530.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

awkward
adjective
1.	causing inconvenience; "they arrived at an awkward time"
2.	lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance; "an awkward dancer"; "an awkward gesture"; "too awkward with a needle to make her own clothes"; "his clumsy fingers produced an awkward knot" [ant: graceful]
3.	difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape; "an awkward bundle to carry"; "a load of bunglesome paraphernalia"; "clumsy wooden shoes"; "the cello, a rather ungainly instrument for a girl"
4.	not elegant or graceful in expression; "an awkward prose style"; "a clumsy apology"; "his cumbersome writing style"; "if the rumor is true, can anything be more inept than to repeat it now?"
5.	hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment; "awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion"; "an awkward pause followed his remark"; "a sticky question"; "in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign"
6.	socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner; "awkward and reserved at parties"; "ill at ease among eddies of people he didn't know"; "was always uneasy with strangers"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
awkward1 [ˈoːkwəd] adjective

not graceful or elegant
Example: an awkward movement

Arabic:	غَير بارِع، غَير لَبِق، غَير رَشيق
Chinese (Simplified):	笨拙的
Chinese (Traditional):	笨拙的
Czech:	neobratný
Danish:	akavet; kejtet
Dutch:	onhandig
Estonian:	kohmakas
Finnish:	kömpelö
French:	maladroit
German:	ungeschickt
Greek:	αδέξιος, άγαρμπος
Hungarian:	esetlen
Icelandic:	klunnalegur
Indonesian:	kikuk, canggung, janggal
Italian:	goffo

Japanese:	ぎこちない
Korean:	꼴사나운, 서투른
Latvian:	neveikls; lempīgs
Lithuanian:	negrabus, nerangus
Norwegian:	klosset, keitet
Polish:	niezręczny, niezgrabny
Portuguese (Brazil):	desajeitado
Portuguese (Portugal):	desajeitado
Romanian:	stângaci
Russian:	неуклюжий
Slovak:	neobratný, nemotorný
Slovenian:	neroden
Spanish:	patoso, desgarbado, torpe
Swedish:	klumpig, besvärlig
Turkish:	hantal, kaba

awkward2 [ˈoːkwəd] adjective

difficult or causing difficulty, embarrassment etc
Example: an awkward question; an awkward silence; His cut is in an awkward place.

Arabic:	حَرِج، مُحْرِج، مُربِك
Chinese (Simplified):	难处理的
Chinese (Traditional):	難處理的
Czech:	nevhodný, trapný, nepříjemný
Danish:	vanskelig; pinlig; ubekvem
Dutch:	lastig
Estonian:	piinlik
Finnish:	kiusallinen
French:	gênant
German:	peinlich
Greek:	που προκαλεί αμηχανία ή δυσκολία, ενοχλητικός
Hungarian:	kínos, kényes
Icelandic:	vandræðalegur
Indonesian:	menyulitkan
Italian:	imbarazzante, inopportuno

Japanese:	具合の悪い
Korean:	성가신, 멋적은
Latvian:	neērts; neveikls
Lithuanian:	nemalonus, nejaukus, nepatogus
Norwegian:	vanskelig, pinlig, ubekvem
Polish:	krępujący
Portuguese (Brazil):	incômodo
Portuguese (Portugal):	difícil
Romanian:	incomod; stânjenitor; jenant
Russian:	неловкий; неудобный
Slovak:	nevhodný, trápny
Slovenian:	mučen
Spanish:	difícil, delicado, peliagudo
Swedish:	obehaglig, pinsam, besvärlig
Turkish:	can sıkıcı, zor, uygunsuz, biçimsiz

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