Definitions for awkward
ˈɔk wərdawk·ward

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. awkward(adj)

   causing inconvenience

   "they arrived at an awkward time"

2. awkward(adj)

   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"

3. awkward, bunglesome, clumsy, ungainly(adj)

   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. awkward, clumsy, cumbersome, inapt, inept, ill-chosen(adj)

   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. awkward, embarrassing, sticky, unenviable(adj)

   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. awkward, ill at ease(p), uneasy(adj)

   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"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. awkward(Adverb)

   In a backwards direction.

2. awkward(Adjective)

   Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments

   John was awkward at performing the trick. He'll have to practise to improve.

3. awkward(Adjective)

   Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing

   That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.

4. awkward(Adjective)

   Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction

5. awkward(Adjective)

   Perverse; adverse; difficult to handle

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Awkward(adj)

   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

2. Awkward(adj)

   not easily managed or effected; embarrassing

3. Awkward(adj)

   perverse; adverse; untoward

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Awkward

   Awkward is an album by Ty. It was released in 2001 on Ninja Tune records.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Awkward

   awk′ward, adj. clumsy: ungraceful: embarrassed: difficult to deal with: (Shak.) unfavourable: (obs.) froward.—adj. Awk′wardish.—adv. Awk′wardly, clumsily, embarrassingly, dangerously.—n. Awk′wardness. [Prob. Ice. afug, turned wrong way, and suff. -ward, expressing direction.]

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'awkward' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2554

2. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'awkward' in Adjectives Frequency: #741

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of awkward in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of awkward in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of awkward in a Sentence

1. Larry Niven:

   The Unexpected always comes at the most awkward times.

2. The Journal:

   Using the 1.5-pound headset is about as awkward as sleeping on an airplane.

3. John Lehman:

   She went through some awkward years getting the people in Monaco to accept her.

4. John Alejandro King, a.k.a. The Covert Comic, www.covertcomic.com:

   You know what never gets awkward? Talking about things other people did that got awkward.

5. Peter King:

   Today was extremely positive, there was not one negative moment. There was no awkward moment.

Images & Illustrations of awkward

Popularity rank by frequency of use