ungainly

adjective

un·gain·ly ˌən-ˈgān-lē How to pronounce ungainly (audio)

: lacking in smoothness or dexterity : clumsy

ungainly movements

: hard to handle : unwieldy

an ungainly contraption

: having an awkward appearance

a large ungainly bird

ungainliness noun

Did you know?

What do you have to gain by knowing the root of ungainly? Plenty. The gain in ungainly is an obsolete English adjective meaning "direct" that is ultimately derived from the Old Norse preposition gegn, meaning "against." (It is unrelated to the noun in "economic gains" or the verb in "gain an advantage"; those came to English by way of Anglo-French and are related to an Old High German word meaning "to hunt for food.") Ungainly can describe someone who is clumsy, as in "a tall, ungainly man"; or something that causes you to feel clumsy when you try to handle it, as in "a car with ungainly controls"; or something that simply looks awkward and out of place, as in "an ungainly strip mall."

Example Sentences

He was tall and ungainly. getting the ungainly couch up the stairs was a real chore

Recent Examples on the Web Their exertions are uncannily like those of a writer frantically trying to compress a headful of ideas into the ungainly shape of a book.

Natasha Wimmer, The New York Review of Books, 3 Aug. 2022 To outsiders, the Hef looks like an ungainly industrial workhorse that no longer works.

New York Times, 29 July 2022 The magazine’s declared charge was to bring ungainly life and youthful indiscretion to a culture bounded by cloying upstart institutions (McSweeney’s) and stuffy, older ones (James Wood writing at The New Republic).

Phillip Maciak, The New Republic, 27 June 2022 Newell designed this ungainly Willy Wonka–esque apparatus over decades in a costly process of trial and error that faced—and ultimately overcame—several challenges, including protecting the mussels from turbulent seas and voracious eider ducks.

Ellen Ruppel Shell, Scientific American, 1 May 2022 Not unlike Frankenstein’s monster, Brian’s ungainly creation comes alive during a thunderstorm.

Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 June 2022 Horse relies on ungainly cliff-hangers to pull the reader from chapter to chapter.

Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2022 But bending her deeply ingrained poise into a more ungainly, everyday shape — while continuing to kick ass — may be Yeoh’s most complicated assignment yet.

New York Times, 15 Mar. 2022 In its assembly hall, the desk microphones cut the air at ungainly angles.

James Verini, New York Times, 19 May 2022 See More

单词	ungainliness
释义	ungainly adjective un·gain·ly ˌən-ˈgān-lē 1 a : lacking in smoothness or dexterity : clumsy ungainly movements b : hard to handle : unwieldy an ungainly contraption 2 : having an awkward appearance a large ungainly bird ungainliness noun Did you know? What do you have to gain by knowing the root of ungainly? Plenty. The gain in ungainly is an obsolete English adjective meaning "direct" that is ultimately derived from the Old Norse preposition gegn, meaning "against." (It is unrelated to the noun in "economic gains" or the verb in "gain an advantage"; those came to English by way of Anglo-French and are related to an Old High German word meaning "to hunt for food.") Ungainly can describe someone who is clumsy, as in "a tall, ungainly man"; or something that causes you to feel clumsy when you try to handle it, as in "a car with ungainly controls"; or something that simply looks awkward and out of place, as in "an ungainly strip mall." Synonyms awkward bunglesome clumsy clunky cranky cumbersome cumbrous ponderous unhandy unwieldy See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences He was tall and ungainly. getting the ungainly couch up the stairs was a real chore Recent Examples on the Web Their exertions are uncannily like those of a writer frantically trying to compress a headful of ideas into the ungainly shape of a book. Natasha Wimmer, The New York Review of Books, 3 Aug. 2022 To outsiders, the Hef looks like an ungainly industrial workhorse that no longer works. New York Times, 29 July 2022 The magazine’s declared charge was to bring ungainly life and youthful indiscretion to a culture bounded by cloying upstart institutions (McSweeney’s) and stuffy, older ones (James Wood writing at The New Republic). Phillip Maciak, The New Republic, 27 June 2022 Newell designed this ungainly Willy Wonka–esque apparatus over decades in a costly process of trial and error that faced—and ultimately overcame—several challenges, including protecting the mussels from turbulent seas and voracious eider ducks. Ellen Ruppel Shell, Scientific American, 1 May 2022 Not unlike Frankenstein’s monster, Brian’s ungainly creation comes alive during a thunderstorm. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 June 2022 Horse relies on ungainly cliff-hangers to pull the reader from chapter to chapter. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2022 But bending her deeply ingrained poise into a more ungainly, everyday shape — while continuing to kick ass — may be Yeoh’s most complicated assignment yet. New York Times, 15 Mar. 2022 In its assembly hall, the desk microphones cut the air at ungainly angles. James Verini, New York Times, 19 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology obsolete gain direct, from Middle English gayn, geyn, from Old English gēn, from Old Norse gegn, from gegn, preposition, against; akin to Old English gēan- against — more at again First Known Use 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Kids Definition ungainly adjective un·gain·ly ˌən-ˈgān-lē ungainlier; ungainliest : clumsy sense 1, awkward an ungainly walk ungainliness noun as in gracelessness Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance gracelessness gawkiness awkwardness clumsiness klutziness gaucheness ham-handedness disability incapacity inability incapability gawkishness impairment incapacitation heavy-handedness unhandiness debilitation disablement Antonyms & Near Antonyms nimbleness spryness agility dexterity deftness coordination gracefulness sleight litheness suppleness limberness flexibility loose-jointedness See More
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ungainly

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

noun