awkward
adjective
1. causing inconvenience
- they arrived at an awkward time
Similar word(s): inconvenient
2. 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
Similar word(s): maladroit, ugly, clumsy, clunky, gawky, ungainly, unwieldy, graceless, ungraceful, labored, laboured, strained, wooden
3. difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape
- an awkward bundle to carry
Similar word(s): unmanageable, unwieldy, bunglesome, clumsy, ungainly
4. not elegant or graceful in expression
- an awkward prose style
Similar word(s): infelicitous, clumsy, cumbersome, inapt, inept
5. hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
- awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion
- an awkward pause followed his remark
Similar word(s): difficult, hard, embarrassing, sticky, unenviable
6. socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner
- awkward and reserved at parties
Similar word(s): uncomfortable, uneasy
Sentences with awkward as an adjective:
- John was awkward at performing the trick. He'll have to practice to improve.
- That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.
- An awkward silence had fallen.
- I'm very awkward at parties.
- Things get very awkward whenever 60-year old men use cheesy pick-up lines on me.
- He's a right awkward chap.
- These cabinets are going to be very awkward when we move.
adverb
1. (obsolete) In a backwards direction.