Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
adjective
- lacking skill or dexterity.
- lacking grace or ease in movement: an awkward gesture; an awkward dancer.
- lacking social graces or manners: a simple, awkward frontiersman.
- not well planned or designed for easy or effective use: an awkward instrument; an awkward method.
- requiring caution; somewhat hazardous: an awkward turn in the road.
- hard to deal with; difficult; requiring skill, tact, or the like: an awkward situation; an awkward customer.
- embarrassing or inconvenient; caused by lack of social grace: an awkward moment.
- Obsolete. untoward; perverse.
adjective
- lacking dexterity, proficiency, or skill; clumsy; ineptthe new recruits were awkward in their exercises
- ungainly or inelegant in movements or posturedespite a great deal of practice she remained an awkward dancer
- unwieldy; difficult to usean awkward implement
- embarrassingan awkward moment
- embarrassedhe felt awkward about leaving
- difficult to deal with; requiring tactan awkward situation; an awkward customer
- deliberately uncooperative or unhelpfulhe could help but he is being awkward
- dangerous or difficultan awkward ascent of the ridge
- obsolete perverse
adj.mid-14c., “in the wrong direction,” from awk “back-handed” + adverbial suffix -weard (see -ward). Meaning “clumsy” first recorded 1520s. Related: Awkwardly. Other formations from awk, none of them surviving, were awky, awkly, awkness.