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awkwardness

awk·ward
A a

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [awk-werd]
    • /ˈɔk wərd/
    • /ˈɔːkwədnɪs/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [awk-werd]
    • /ˈɔk wərd/

Definitions of awkwardness word

  • adjective awkwardness lacking skill or dexterity. Synonyms: clumsy, inept; unskillful, unhandy, inexpert. Antonyms: deft, adroit, skillful, dexterous; handy. 1
  • adjective awkwardness lacking grace or ease in movement: an awkward gesture; an awkward dancer. Synonyms: uncoordinated, graceless, ungainly; gawky; maladroit; clumsy. Antonyms: graceful. 1
  • adjective awkwardness lacking social graces or manners: a simple, awkward frontiersman. Synonyms: gauche, unpolished, unrefined; blundering, oafish; ill-mannered, unmannerly, ill-bred. Antonyms: gracious; polite, well-mannered, well-bred; smooth, polished, refined. 1
  • adjective awkwardness not well planned or designed for easy or effective use: an awkward instrument; an awkward method. Synonyms: unwieldy, cumbersome, unmanageable; inconvenient, difficult, troublesome. 1
  • adjective awkwardness requiring caution; somewhat hazardous: an awkward turn in the road. Synonyms: dangerous, risky, unsafe, chancy; perilous, precarious, treacherous. 1
  • adjective awkwardness hard to deal with; difficult; requiring skill, tact, or the like: an awkward situation; an awkward customer. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of awkwardness

First appearance:

before 1300
One of the 15% oldest English words
1300-50; Middle English, equivalent to awk(e), auk(e) ‘backhanded’, Old English *afoc (< Old Norse ǫfugr ‘turned the wrong way’; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German abuh, Old English afu(h)lic ‘wrong’, off) + -ward -ward

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Awkwardness

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

awkwardness popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 93% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

awkwardness usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for awkwardness

noun awkwardness

  • ineptitude — quality or condition of being inept.
  • ignorance — the state or fact of being ignorant; lack of knowledge, learning, information, etc.
  • coarseness — composed of relatively large parts or particles: The beach had rough, coarse sand.
  • greenness — the quality or state of being green.
  • rudeness — discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way: a rude reply.

Antonyms for awkwardness

noun awkwardness

  • sophistication — sophisticated character, ideas, tastes, or ways as the result of education, worldly experience, etc.: the sophistication of the wealthy.
  • artfulness — slyly crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky: artful schemes.
  • dexterity — Dexterity is skill in using your hands, or sometimes your mind.
  • skill — the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well: Carpentry was one of his many skills.
  • easiness — the quality or condition of being easy.

Top questions with awkwardness

  • how to overcome social awkwardness?
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See also

Matching words

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