From awk ( “ odd, clumsy ” ) + -ward
awkward (comparative more awkward , superlative most awkward )
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( obsolete ) backwards direction.
1470–1485 (date produced)Thomas Malory , “Capitulum X”, in [ Le Morte Darthur] [ … ] by William Caxton ], published 31 July 1485 , →OCLC [ einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur [ … ] , London: David Nutt , [ … ] 1889 , →OCLC Than groned the knyght for his grymme woundis, and gyrdis to Sir Gawayne and awkewarde hym strykes, and [ …] kut thorow a vayne [ …] (please add an English translation of this quotation) awkward (comparative awkwarder or more awkward , superlative awkwardest or most awkward )
Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
Synonyms: clumsy lubberly ungraceful unhandy Antonyms: dexterous gainly graceful handy skillful John was awkward at performing the trick. He'll have to practice to improve.
Not easily managed or effected ; embarrassing .
That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.
An awkward silence had fallen.
Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction.
Synonym: maladroit Antonyms: amiable cool 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 .
He's a right awkward chap.
These cabinets are going to be very awkward when we move.
2020 August 26, Andrew Mourant, “Reinforced against future flooding”, in Rail , page 61 :Clearing up rock and fallen vegetation at such an awkward site required a team of specialist geoengineers.
lacking dexterity in the use of the hands
American Sign Language: 3@SideTrunkhigh-PalmDown-3@SideChesthigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Upanddown
Belarusian: нязгра́бны ( njazhrábny ) , няўклю́дны ( njaŭkljúdny ) , нехлямя́жы ( njexljamjážy )
Bulgarian: несръчен (bg) ( nesrǎčen ) , непохватен (bg) ( nepohvaten )
Catalan: maldestre (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 別扭 ／ 别扭 (zh) ( bièniu )
Czech: neobratný (cs) m nešikovný (cs) m
Dutch: onhandig (nl)
Esperanto: mallerta
Finnish: kömpelö (fi)
French: maladroit (fr) m gauche (fr)
German: ungeschickt (de) , unbeholfen (de) , umständlich (de) , tollpatschig (de) , tölpelhaft (de) , patschert (de) (Austrian)
Greek: αδέξιος (el) ( adéxios )
Icelandic: klunnalegur (is)
Indonesian: canggung (id) , kikuk (id)
Irish: crúbach ciotrúnta
Italian: maldestro (it) , impacciato (it) , goffo (it) m
Japanese: 不器用な (ja) ( bukiyō na ) , 不便な (ja) ( fuben na )
Korean: 서투르다 (ko) ( seotureuda )
Latin: inconcinnus m
Latvian: neveikls m
Lithuanian: nerangus m
Macedonian: не́згоден ( nézgoden ) , не́смасен m ( nésmasen )
Maori: ninipa
Norwegian: klumsete klønete (no)
Portuguese: desajeitado (pt) , bisonho (pt)
Romanian: neîndemânatic (ro) , stângaci (ro)
Russian: нело́вкий (ru) ( nelóvkij ) , неуклю́жий (ru) ( neukljúžij )
Spanish: torpe (es) , desmañado (es)
Tagalog: asiwa
Turkish: sakar (tr) , beceriksiz (tr)
Ukrainian: незгра́бний ( nezhrábnyj )
not easily managed or effected; embarrassing
American Sign Language: 3@SideTrunkhigh-PalmDown-3@SideChesthigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Upanddown
Bulgarian: неловък (bg) ( nelovǎk ) , неудобен (bg) ( neudoben )
Catalan: incòmode (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 尷尬 ／ 尴尬 (zh) ( gāngà )
Czech: nepříjemný (cs) m
Danish: akavet
Dutch: ongemakkelijk (nl) , genant
Esperanto: konsterna senaplombiga
Finnish: kiusallinen (fi) , vaivaannuttava hankala (fi) , vaikea (fi) , nolo (fi)
French: embarrassant (fr) m
German: peinlich (de) , betreten (de) , unangenehm (de) , umständlich (de) , patschert (de) (Austrian), beklemmend (de)
Greek: δύσκολος (el) ( dýskolos )
Hungarian: kínos (hu)
Icelandic: vandræðalegur (is) , pínlegur
Irish: anásta
Italian: imbarazzato (it) , poco opportuno delicato (it) , imbarazzante (it) , inopportuno (it)
Japanese: ぎごちない ( gigochinai ) , 気まずい ( kimazui )
Korean: 어색하다 (ko) ( eosaekhada )
Latvian: neveikls m
Lithuanian: nejaukus m nepatogus m
Macedonian: не́згоден ( nézgoden )
Maori: tahangoi
Norwegian: pinlig (no)
Persian: ناجور (fa) ( nâjur )
Plautdietsch: onjeschekjt
Polish: nieprzyjemny (pl) m
Portuguese: constrangedor (pt) , desconcertante (pt)
Russian: нело́вкий (ru) ( nelóvkij ) , неудо́бный (ru) ( neudóbnyj ) , затрудни́тельный (ru) ( zatrudnítelʹnyj )
Spanish: embarazoso (es) , delicado (es) , incómodo (es) , dificultoso (es)
Swedish: pinsam (sv) , genant (sv) , stel (sv)
Tagalog: matungal
Turkish: kullanışsız (tr)
Ukrainian: незручни́й ( nezručnýj )
lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction
Catalan: retret m
Esperanto: plumpa (eo)
Finnish: kömpelö (fi)
German: peinlich (de) , ungelenk (de) , umständlich (de) , schüchtern (de) , unbeholfen (de) , verlegen (de)
Indonesian: canggung (id)
Latvian: neveikls m
Macedonian: неи́скусен ( neískusen ) , не́смасен ( nésmasen ) , непри́јатен ( nepríjaten )
Malay: canggung
Norwegian:
Bokmål: klein (no)
Portuguese: tímido (pt) m tímida (pt) f inseguro (pt) m insegura f
Spanish: tímido (es) , alipori (es) , embarazoso (es) m premioso m desgarbado (es) m
Swedish: tafatt (sv) , stel (sv)
perverse; adverse; untoward
Bulgarian: неприятен (bg) ( neprijaten ) , неудобен (bg) ( neudoben )
Catalan: incòmode (ca) m inconvenient (ca) m
Esperanto: maloportuna
Finnish: hankala (fi) , vastahakoinen (fi)
French: inconvenant (fr) m
German: verdreht (de) , verkorkst (de) , Umstände machend umständlich (de) , unangenehm (de)
Gothic: 𐌰𐌲𐌻𐍃 ( agls )
Italian: scomodo (it) , poco maneggevole difficile (it)
Macedonian: непри́јатен ( nepríjaten ) , не́згоден ( nézgoden ) , те́рсене ( térsene )
Polish: nieśmiały (pl)
Portuguese: incómodo (pt) m
Spanish: difícil (es) , atravesado (es)
Turkish: garip (tr) , uygunsuz (tr)
awkward (plural awkwards
Someone or something that is awkward.
1912 Social Life in Old New Orleans, Being Recollections of My Girlhood , New York, N.Y., London: D. Appleton & Company , →OCLC 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 HarperCollins , →ISBN '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 76 :That is a way to make awkwards . And it's not fun to hang out with awkwards more than once.
