Definitions for awkward
ˈɔk wərdawk·ward

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. awkwardadjective

   causing inconvenience

   "they arrived at an awkward time"

2. awkwardadjective

   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, ungainlyadjective

   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-chosenadjective

   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, unenviableadjective

   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), uneasyadjective

   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(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. awkwardadverb

   In a backwards direction.

2. awkwardadjective

   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. awkwardadjective

   Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing

   That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.

4. awkwardadjective

   Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction

5. awkwardadjective

   Perverse; adverse; difficult to handle

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

1. Awkwardadjective

   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. Awkwardadjective

   not easily managed or effected; embarrassing

3. Awkwardadjective

   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

How to pronounce awkward?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say awkward in sign language?

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. Drew Barrymore:

   I wanted to make this movie because it taps into an emotion that everyone can identify with -- the awkward moments of our high school years. For Josie Geller, high school was a horrible, humiliating experience.

2. Chief Executive Officer Tom Rutledge:

   While we'd like to participate in the auction, it's a very awkward time for us, if somehow we get a faster close (of the TWC transaction), then we might.

3. Bart Naylor:

   That's where a conservative begins -- that somehow the hand of the government is awkward and inefficient and that regulations are simply a cost, a group such as ourselves see regulations as a necessity to protect consumers and make sure that the economy is relatively fair.

4. Justine Cullen:

   It’s a pitiful truth that women are still regularly shamed or made to feel awkward for performing the fundamental act of feeding their babies wherever and whenever they need to (of course, they’re also still shamed for not being able or choosing not to breastfeed, which I equally maddening, exposure to breastfeeding in the media is one of the things we can do to counter this, so I love this cover on many levels.

5. Deborah Meyer:

   Navigating money conversations with your significant other may be awkward, even when you're not expecting a baby, a good financial coach or planner can be helpful to ease the tension if every money conversation ends with an argument.

Images & Illustrations of awkward

Popularity rank by frequency of use