awkward

adjective
UK: /ˈɔːkwəd/
US: /ˈɔːkwərd/

  1. Uncomfortable or causing difficulty; not smooth or graceful.

    1. The silence was awkward, so I started to talk about weather. [ ] [ ]
    2. There was an awkward moment when she didn't know what to say to him. [ ] [ ]

  2. Difficult to use or handle; clumsy or unwieldy.

    1. This box is very awkward to carry because it's heavy. [ ] [ ]
    2. The awkward shape of the package made it hard to wrap properly. [ ] [ ]

  3. Causing embarrassment or unease.

    1. It's awkward when you forget someone's name right after they told you. [ ] [ ]
    2. I felt awkward because I didn't know anyone else at the party tonight. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

clumsy ungainly uncomfortable embarrassing difficult inelegant
awkward adverb

  1. In an awkward or clumsy manner.

    1. He shifted awkwardly in his seat during the presentation. [ ] [ ]
    2. She laughed awkwardly, not really understanding the joke situation. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "awkward" in English means: Uncomfortable or causing difficulty; not smooth or graceful., Difficult to use or handle; clumsy or unwieldy., Causing embarrassment or unease..

The phonetic transcription of "awkward" is /ˈɔːkwəd/ in British English and /ˈɔːkwərd/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "awkward": clumsy, ungainly, uncomfortable, embarrassing, difficult, inelegant.

Example usage of "awkward": "The silence was awkward, so I started to talk about weather.". More examples on the page.