maladroit

American  

[mal-uh-droit] / ˌmæl əˈdrɔɪt /

adjective

1. lacking in adroitness; unskillful; awkward; bungling; tactless.

   to handle a diplomatic crisis in a very maladroit way.

   Synonyms:

   gauche, inept, clumsy

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maladroit British  

/ ˌmæləˈdrɔɪt /

adjective

1. showing or characterized by clumsiness; not dexterous

2. tactless and insensitive in behaviour or speech

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Other Word Forms

• maladroitly adverb
• maladroitness noun

Etymology

Origin of maladroit

First recorded in 1665–75; from French, Middle French: literally “clumsy”; mal-, adroit

Example Sentences

But even this imaginative choice isn’t enough to enhance Sodroski’s maladroit script, though Kidman does try.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2025

It’s “Groundhog Day” in Denver with the Broncos’ maladroit offense unable to score and its stellar defense incapable of closing out opponents.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 6, 2022

Its debut episode introduced Steven Grant, a maladroit museum gift-shop clerk with a dodgy British accent, played by Oscar Isaac.

From New York Times • May 2, 2022

A somewhat milder version of the many socially maladroit, chronically melancholic schlubs who have traipsed through Kaufman’s fiction, Jake is a fount of impressive, useless erudition.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2020

The first problem is Keegan’s maladroit use of negation.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker