unwieldy

or un·wield·ly

[ uhn-weel-dee ]

adjective

, un·wield·i·er, un·wield·i·est.

1. not wieldy; wielded with difficulty; not readily handled or managed in use or action, as from size, shape, or weight; awkward; ungainly.

   Synonyms: unmanageable, clumsy, bulky

unwieldy

/ ʌnˈwiːldɪ /

adjective

1. too heavy, large, or awkwardly shaped to be easily handled
2. ungainly; clumsy

Derived Forms

• unˈwieldily, adverb
• unˈwieldiness, noun

Other Words From

• un·wieldi·ly adverb
• un·wieldi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unwieldy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, unwieldy is from the Middle English word unweldy. See un- ¹, wieldy

Example Sentences

While it may be true that we spend a fair share of our time on freeways, there are thriving pedestrian-friendly pockets tucked all around our unwieldy city.

From Los Angeles Times

The unwieldy best-of-three format, on the other hand, fits like a square peg in a round hole.

From Los Angeles Times

Although chicanery happens on a local level, Jackson observed that the unwieldy and labyrinthine nature of America's electoral system serves as a built-in protection against outright election theft.

From Salon

To all that, add the enormous extra worldwide attention and unwieldy presence that comes with Ohtani on a daily basis, and Roberts could have melted down before the season even started.

From Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, he’s a got a day job: Running the most populous, diversified and unwieldy state in the union.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• burdensome
• clumsy
• cumbersome
• inconvenient
• massive
• onerous
• ponderous
• ungainly
• unmanageable