Meaning & Definition of word "Clumsiness"

Clumsiness

/ˈklʌm.zi.nəs/

noun:

  • 1. the quality of being clumsy; awkwardness in movement or handling.
    • Example: Her clumsiness resulted in several dropped glasses during the party.
  • 2. an inelegant or awkward quality in action or performance.
    • Example: The dancer's clumsiness was evident as she struggled to keep up with the fast tempo of the music.
  • 3. the state of being cumbersome or lacking grace.
    • Example: His clumsiness on the basketball court often made him a liability to the team.
  • 4. a tendency to make mistakes or errors due to awkwardness.
    • Example: The child's clumsiness with his new toy led to it breaking after just a few minutes of play.
  • 5. a lack of physical coordination.
    • Example: Despite her intelligence, her clumsiness in sports made her hesitant to join any teams.

Etymology

From 'clumsy' + '-ness', indicating the quality of being clumsy.

Common Phrases and Expressions

get one's feet tangled:

to become unbalanced or trip due to clumsiness.

bump into things:

to collide with objects due to lack of coordination.

drop the ball:

to fail at an important task due to carelessness or clumsiness.

Related Words

clumsy:

Awkward in movement or handling.

awkward:

Not graceful or smooth in movement.

inept:

Showing no skill; clumsy.

Slang Meanings of clumsiness

Meaning: Two left feet

Example Sentence: He has two left feet when it comes to dancing, it's hilarious.

Meaning: Fumble-fingers

Example Sentence: Call him fumble-fingers; he dropped the ball during the game.