awkward
- 01 B1 Intermediate
feeling embarrassed or not knowing what to say in a social situation.
characterised by social discomfort, embarrassment, or a lack of social grace.
Simple“There was an awkward silence after he told a joke that nobody understood.”
In context“The dinner party became increasingly awkward when the host and hostess began a heated argument in front of their guests.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
hard to use, move, or deal with because of its shape or size.
difficult to use, manage, or manipulate due to physical shape, weight, or logistical complexity.
Simple“It was an awkward box to carry up the stairs because it had no handles.”
In context“The piano proved to be an awkward piece of furniture to move, requiring three people just to navigate the narrow hallway.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
moving in a way that is not smooth or graceful.
lacking physical coordination or grace in movement or posture.
Simple“The young bird made an awkward attempt to fly for the first time.”
In context“He felt awkward and self-conscious on the dance floor, convinced that his movements were stiff compared to the others.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
happening at a time or in a way that causes problems.
causing difficulty or inconvenience; ill-timed.
Simple“I'm sorry to call at such an awkward hour, but I really need your help.”
In context“The meeting was scheduled at an awkward time, forcing several department heads to cancel their existing appointments.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“Its move follows years of complaints from passengers, who said that relying on personal devices left them with drained batteries, awkward viewing angles, and patchy Wi-Fi.”
“As mentioned above, it’s very heavy and awkward to move, making it difficult, if not impossible, to bring into an apartment or house if there’s no garage.”
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂époh₃kʷos Proto-Germanic *abuhaz Old Norse ǫfugrder. Middle English awke English awk Proto-Indo-European *wert-der. Proto-Germanic *wardaz Old English -weard English -ward English awkward From awk (“odd, clumsy”) + -ward. Compare Middle English aukeward (“in the wrong direction”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.