maladroit

[ mal-uh-droit ]
See synonyms for: maladroitmaladroitlymaladroitness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. lacking in adroitness; unskillful; awkward; bungling; tactless: to handle a diplomatic crisis in a very maladroit way.

Origin of maladroit

1
First recorded in 1665–75; from French, Middle French: literally “clumsy”; see origin at mal-, adroit

Other words for maladroit

Other words from maladroit

  • mal·a·droit·ly, adverb
  • mal·a·droit·ness, noun

Words Nearby maladroit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use maladroit in a sentence

  • Might makes right, often enough in a maladroit fashion, but sometimes it comes as a real blessing.

  • They swarmed loud, uncouth about the temple, their heads thickplotting under maladroit silk hats.

    Ulysses | James Joyce
  • That evening Camille drew Rose aside, and asked for an explanation of her "maladroit."

    White Lies | Charles Reade

British Dictionary definitions for maladroit

maladroit

/ (ˌmæləˈdrɔɪt) /


adjective
  1. showing or characterized by clumsiness; not dexterous

  2. tactless and insensitive in behaviour or speech

Origin of maladroit

1
C17: from French, from mal badly + adroit

Derived forms of maladroit

  • maladroitly, adverb
  • maladroitness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012