awkward

English

WOTD – 19 July 2016

From awk (“odd, clumsy”) +‎ -ward.

awkward (comparative more awkward, superlative most awkward)

(obsolete) In a backwards direction.
- 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum X”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, OCLC 71490786; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, OCLC 890162034:
  :
  Than groned the knyght for his grymme woundis, and gyrdis to Sir Gawayne and awkewarde hym strykes, and […] kut thorow a vayne […].

awkward (comparative awkwarder or more awkward, superlative awkwardest or most awkward)

Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
John was awkward at performing the trick. He'll have to practice to improve.
Synonyms: clumsy, lubberly, ungraceful, unhandy
Antonyms: dexterous, gainly, graceful, handy, skillful
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.
I'm very awkward at parties.
Things get very awkward whenever 60-year old men use cheesy pick-up lines on me.
Synonym: maladroit
Antonyms: amiable, cool
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 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
Portuguese: desajeitado (pt), bisonho (pt)
Romanian: neîndemânatic (ro), stângaci (ro)
Russian: нело́вкий (ru) (nelóvkij), неуклю́жий (ru) (neukljúžij)
Spanish: torpe (es), desmañado (es)
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)
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)
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)
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
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)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: klein (no)
Portuguese: tímido (pt) m, tímida (pt) f, inseguro (pt) m, insegura f
Spanish: tímido (es)
Swedish: 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)