awkwardadjective
uk/ˈɔː.kwəd/us/ˈɑː.kwɚd/awkward adjective (DIFFICULT)
B2 difficult to use, do, or deal with:
It's an awkward corner, so take it slowly.
Some of the questions were rather awkward.
It was an awkward ascent, but we reached the top eventually.
[ + to infinitive ] My car's quite awkward to drive.
He's an awkward customer (= a difficult person to deal with).
More examples
- If he persists in asking awkward questions, then send him to the boss.
- When two of your best friends argue it puts you in a very awkward position.
- He fielded some awkward questions very skilfully.
- If they ask any awkward questions, just let me do the talking.
- It's going to be awkward, to say the least.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Complicated and difficult to do
- advanced
- ambitious
- another
- arduous
- as much as you can do idiom
- fiendish
- fierce
- formidable
- get blood out of/from a stone idiom
- gruelling
- murky
- picnic
- problematic
- punishing
- rigorous
- schlep
- uphill
- vexed
- wearing
- wearying
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awkward adjective (EMBARRASSING)
B2 causing problems, worry, or embarrassment:
an awkward position/situation
There followed an awkward silence while we all tried to think of something to say.
They'd chosen an awkward time to call as I'd just got into the bath.
The police asked some awkward questions about where the money had come from.
C2 embarrassed or nervous:
I always feel awkward when I'm with Chris - he's so difficult to talk to.
He seemed a little awkward when I first met him.
More examples
- He's very deft at handling awkward situations.
- Somehow she managed to fend off the awkward questions.
- It's always awkward when you meet someone you know, but you can't remember their name.
- Her remarks produced an awkward silence.
- After a long, awkward pause someone asked a question.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Inconvenience
- a pain (in the neck) idiom
- a pain in the arse/backside idiom
- aggravation
- aggro
- bore
- bother
- disturbance
- drag
- hassle
- have fun and games idiom
- imposition
- inconvenience
- inconvenient
- put sb out
- put yourself out
- rigmarole
- snag
- some
- storm
- tempest
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Embarrassing
Anxious and worried
Ashamed and embarrassed
awkward adjective (NOT HELPFUL)
mainly UK intentionally not helpful:
Just stop being so awkward and help me push the car, will you!
Synonym
uncooperative
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Unhelpful and Uncooperative
- awkwardly
- deterrent
- foot
- it's every man for himself idiom
- man
- obstructionism
- obstructive
- passive-aggressive
- pre-emptive
- stifling
- stultifying
- uncooperative
- under your feet idiom
- unhelpful
awkward adjective (MOVEMENT)
moving in a way that is not natural, relaxed, or attractive:
His movements were slow and awkward.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Inability and awkwardness
- accident-prone
- all thumbs idiom
- amateurish
- at your worst idiom
- awkwardly
- boil
- gauche
- geek
- ham-fisted
- have nothing on sb or sth idiom
- have two left feet idiom
- incapacitate
- nerd
- no great shakes idiom
- not have a prayer idiom
- obey
- organize
- paralysed
- prone
- rubbish
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awkwardness
noun [ U ] uk/ˈɔː.kwəd.nəs/us/ˈɑː.kwɚd.nəs/
In spite of the divorce, there was no awkwardness between them - in fact they seemed very much at ease.
Idiom(s)
the awkward gang