cumbersome

[ kuhm-ber-suhm ]

adjective

1. burdensome; troublesome.

   Synonyms: onerous, weighty, heavy

2. unwieldy; clumsy.

   Synonyms: awkward

cumbersome

/ ˈkʌmbəsəm; ˈkʌmbrəs /

adjective

1. awkward because of size, weight, or shape

   cumbersome baggage

2. difficult because of extent or complexity

   cumbersome accounts

Derived Forms

• ˈcumbersomely, adverb
• ˈcumbersomeness, noun

Other Words From

• cumber·some·ly adverb
• cumber·some·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cumbersome¹

First recorded in 1325–75, cumbersome is from the Middle English word cummyrsum. See cumber, -some ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cumbersome¹

C14: cumber , short for encumber + -some ¹

Example Sentences

The most appealing part about this is that with these designations you can circumvent the often lengthy and cumbersome probate process.

From Salon

But enforcing the law depends on setting up a process to enforce it, which has not yet been done and could prove cumbersome.

From Los Angeles Times

At the turn of the century when children’s literature was rife with moral lessons and cautionary violence, L. Frank Baum set about writing a great American children’s story, free from the cumbersome morality of the time.

From Salon

Bertoli’s speech was also not protected by the 1st Amendment, the commission said, because the Judicial Code of Conduct requires judges to accept additional restrictions on their speech that might be cumbersome to others in the pursuit of fairness.

From Los Angeles Times

The band’s success as a road act eventually caused strain on its members, especially after the cumbersome, expensive tour of 1974, where their music was piped through their custom-made “Wall of Sound,” consisting of more than 600 speakers standing 40 feet high and 70 feet wide.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bulky
• burdensome
• embarrassing
• heavy
• inconvenient
• ponderous
• tiresome
• unwieldy