Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

clumsy

/ˈklʌmzi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.44 in modern English

Syllables: clum-sy
IPA: /ˈklʌmzi/

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Awkward, lacking coordination, not graceful, not dextrous.

adj

Not elegant or well-planned, lacking tact or subtlety.

adj

Awkward or inefficient in use or construction, difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape.

noun

A clumsy person.

Informal

Example Sentences

"He's very clumsy. I wouldn't trust him with carrying the dishes."
"It is a clumsy solution, but it might work for now."
"What a clumsy joke"
"The ravviſh danke of clumzie vvinter ramps / The fluent ſummers vaine: and drizling ſleete / Chilleth the vvan bleak cheek of the numd earth, / VVhilſt ſnarling guſts nibble the iuyceles leaues, / From the nak't ſhuddring branch; […]"
"On the stairs he met Ellen, the housemaid, and as he passed her he knocked the hot-water jug out of her hand. “Well, you are a clumsy,” said Ellen, as she bent down to mop up the water."

Etymology

Possibly from an alteration of clumsed (“benumbed”) or from clumse (“a stupid fellow; lout”) + -y. More at clumse.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: clumse

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈklʌmzi/
British English: /ˈklʌmzi/

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

clumsier (comparative) clumsiest (superlative) clumsies (plural)

Derived Forms

beclumpse clumsily clumsiness

Frequently Paired Words

clumsies

Synonyms

bumbling bearish butterfingers galoot klutz awkward cumbersome inapt inept ill-chosen

Rhymes With

rumsey

Questions

How do you pronounce clumsy?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈklʌmzi/.
What does clumsy mean?: Awkward, lacking coordination, not graceful, not dextrous.
Where does clumsy come from?: Possibly from an alteration of clumsed (“benumbed”) or from clumse (“a stupid fellow; lout”) + -y. More at clumse.

How to pronounce clumsy

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “clumsy”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈklʌmzi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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