maladroit

adjective

mal·adroit ˌma-lə-ˈdrȯit How to pronounce maladroit (audio)

: lacking adroitness : inept

The governor has been criticized for his maladroit handling of the budget crisis.

maladroitly adverb

maladroitness noun

Did you know?

Maladroit Comes From Old and Middle French

To understand the origin of maladroit, you need to put together some Middle French and Old French building blocks. The first is the word mal, meaning "bad," and the second is the phrase a droit, meaning "properly." You can parse the phrase even further into the components a, meaning "to" or "at," and droit, meaning "right, direct, or straight." Middle French speakers put those pieces together as maladroit to describe the clumsy among them, and English speakers borrowed the word intact back in the 17th century. Its opposite, of course, is adroit, which we adopted from the French in the same century.

Example Sentences

The governor has been criticized for his maladroit handling of the budget crisis. some maladroit steering on her part caused the bicycle to go crashing into the bushes

Recent Examples on the Web Factor in a politically maladroit Afghan government and endemic corruption, and once the Taliban began to roll up government surrenders in the provinces, their offensive took on a life of its own.

The Editors, National Review, 15 Aug. 2021 The series is itself like a socially awkward teen-age nerd—charming but maladroit, heedless, a little exhausting.

Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 10 May 2020 His own party criticizes what many call his maladroit communication on an anxiety-inducing subject.

Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 9 Dec. 2019 Playwrights Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon concoct for her a suitor who’s just as introverted and socially maladroit, the newly wealthy Arthur de Bourgh.

Dominic P. Papatola, Twin Cities, 24 Nov. 2019 Equally maladroit was her debate decision to wrap herself in an unpopular policy that ended 20 years ago.

George Will, National Review, 7 July 2019 Equally maladroit was her debate decision to wrap herself in an unpopular policy that ended 20 years ago.

George Will, Twin Cities, 7 July 2019 Hicks bungled his hijacking of the Johnson, however, and proved maladroit at escaping, leaving a clear trail of evidence along his getaway route.

Rinker Buck, WSJ, 28 June 2019 Trump may have been typically maladroit at actually executing on this policy view, but that’s a side issue.

Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, 12 June 2018 See More

maladroit

adjective

as in clumsy

lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands some maladroit steering on her part caused the bicycle to go crashing into the bushes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

clumsy
awkward
butterfingered
graceless
ham-handed
ham-fisted
cack-handed
unhandy
handless
uncoordinated
all thumbs
bungling
gauche
heavy-handed
left-handed
inept
unskilled
inexpert
unskillful
bunglesome

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dextrous
dexterous
skilled
skillful
deft
handy
masterly
expert
sure-handed
coordinated

as in awkward

showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) the socially maladroit young man often has a difficult time meeting new people

Synonyms & Similar Words

clumsy
awkward
bungling
inept
incompetent
careless
fumbled
botched
inexperienced
inexpert
sloppy
tactless
amateurish
ineffectual
inefficient
unskilled
amateur
unprofessional
unpolished
crude
ineffectual
undiplomatic
unskillful
misguided
misdirected
ineffective
green
tacky
ill-advised

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adroit
facile
competent
deft
capable
professional
skilled
skillful
dextrous
adept
able
talented
dexterous
polished
clever
proficient
expert
masterly
consummate
diplomatic
masterful
accomplished
easy
smooth
tactful
gracious
crackerjack
effortless

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of maladroit are awkward, clumsy, gauche, and inept. While all these words mean "not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct)," maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations.

a maladroit politician

The meanings of awkward and maladroit largely overlap; however, awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact.

periods of awkward silence

While the synonyms clumsy and maladroit are close in meaning, clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill.

a clumsy mechanic

In some situations, the words gauche and maladroit are roughly equivalent. However, gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding.

felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties

The synonyms inept and maladroit are sometimes interchangeable, but inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy.

a hopelessly inept defense attorney

单词	maladroit
释义	maladroit adjective mal·adroit ˌma-lə-ˈdrȯit : lacking adroitness : inept The governor has been criticized for his maladroit handling of the budget crisis. maladroitly adverb maladroitness noun Did you know? Maladroit Comes From Old and Middle French To understand the origin of maladroit, you need to put together some Middle French and Old French building blocks. The first is the word mal, meaning "bad," and the second is the phrase a droit, meaning "properly." You can parse the phrase even further into the components a, meaning "to" or "at," and droit, meaning "right, direct, or straight." Middle French speakers put those pieces together as maladroit to describe the clumsy among them, and English speakers borrowed the word intact back in the 17th century. Its opposite, of course, is adroit, which we adopted from the French in the same century. Synonyms awkward butterfingered cack-handed [British] clumsy graceless ham-fisted ham-handed handless heavy-handed left-handed unhandy See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences The governor has been criticized for his maladroit handling of the budget crisis. some maladroit steering on her part caused the bicycle to go crashing into the bushes Recent Examples on the Web Factor in a politically maladroit Afghan government and endemic corruption, and once the Taliban began to roll up government surrenders in the provinces, their offensive took on a life of its own. The Editors, National Review, 15 Aug. 2021 The series is itself like a socially awkward teen-age nerd—charming but maladroit, heedless, a little exhausting. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 10 May 2020 His own party criticizes what many call his maladroit communication on an anxiety-inducing subject. Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 9 Dec. 2019 Playwrights Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon concoct for her a suitor who’s just as introverted and socially maladroit, the newly wealthy Arthur de Bourgh. Dominic P. Papatola, Twin Cities, 24 Nov. 2019 Equally maladroit was her debate decision to wrap herself in an unpopular policy that ended 20 years ago. George Will, National Review, 7 July 2019 Equally maladroit was her debate decision to wrap herself in an unpopular policy that ended 20 years ago. George Will, Twin Cities, 7 July 2019 Hicks bungled his hijacking of the Johnson, however, and proved maladroit at escaping, leaving a clear trail of evidence along his getaway route. Rinker Buck, WSJ, 28 June 2019 Trump may have been typically maladroit at actually executing on this policy view, but that’s a side issue. Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, 12 June 2018 See More Word History Etymology French, from Middle French, from mal- + adroit First Known Use 1685, in the meaning defined above maladroit adjective 1 as in clumsy lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands some maladroit steering on her part caused the bicycle to go crashing into the bushes Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance clumsy awkward butterfingered graceless ham-handed ham-fisted cack-handed unhandy handless uncoordinated all thumbs bungling gauche heavy-handed left-handed inept unskilled inexpert unskillful bunglesome Antonyms & Near Antonyms dextrous dexterous skilled skillful deft handy masterly expert sure-handed coordinated See More 2 as in awkward showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) the socially maladroit young man often has a difficult time meeting new people Synonyms & Similar Words clumsy awkward bungling inept incompetent careless fumbled botched inexperienced inexpert sloppy tactless amateurish ineffectual inefficient unskilled amateur unprofessional unpolished crude ineffectual undiplomatic unskillful misguided misdirected ineffective green tacky ill-advised Antonyms & Near Antonyms adroit facile competent deft capable professional skilled skillful dextrous adept able talented dexterous polished clever proficient expert masterly consummate diplomatic masterful accomplished easy smooth tactful gracious crackerjack effortless See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of maladroit are awkward, clumsy, gauche, and inept. While all these words mean "not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct)," maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations. a maladroit politician The meanings of awkward and maladroit largely overlap; however, awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact. periods of awkward silence While the synonyms clumsy and maladroit are close in meaning, clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill. a clumsy mechanic In some situations, the words gauche and maladroit are roughly equivalent. However, gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding. felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties The synonyms inept and maladroit are sometimes interchangeable, but inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy. a hopelessly inept defense attorney
随便看	lunar month lunar sigma lunar star lunar tables lunar theory lunar tide lunar year lunare lunarer lunarest lunaria lunariae lunarian lunarians lunarias lunaries lunarists lunarium lunarnaut lunarrer lunarrest lunars lunarscapes lunary lunas

maladroit

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective

Synonym Chooser