awkwardness C1 Topic:People & Society US /ˈɔkwɝdnəs/ See IPA manual Freq #30105 Meanings 1 noun the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed My awkwardness shows on first dates. 2 noun the quality of an embarrassing situation I sensed the awkwardness of my comments. 3 noun The state or quality of being awkward; clumsiness; unskillfulness. […] instead of the joyous voices of his playfellows he hears the rough commands of an unindulgent master or a scolding mistress; — he is continually reproached for his awkwardness and timidity, and reminded of his pauper origin. 4 noun trouble in carrying or managing caused by bulk or shape Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · the inelegance of someone... stiffness 2 noun · the quality of an... nuisance value 4 noun · trouble in carrying or... cumbersomenessunwieldiness More clumsinessclunkinessdiscomfitureineleganceineptitudeineptness Word family Derived forms awkwardnessful Related forms awkwardly Etymology From awkward + -ness. Topics People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # awkwardness **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈɔkwɝdnəs/ **Frequency rank:** 30105 ## Meanings 1. the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed 2. the quality of an embarrassing situation 3. The state or quality of being awkward; clumsiness; unskillfulness. 4. trouble in carrying or managing caused by bulk or shape ## Examples - My awkwardness shows on first dates. - I sensed the awkwardness of my comments. - […] instead of the joyous voices of his playfellows he hears the rough commands of an unindulgent master or a scolding mistress; — he is continually reproached for his awkwardness and timidity, and reminded of his pauper origin. ## Synonyms - clumsiness - clunkiness - discomfiture - inelegance - ineptitude - ineptness ## Derived Forms - awkwardnessful ## Related Forms - awkwardly ## Etymology From awkward + -ness. ## Topics - People & Society - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown