Definitions

ham-handed

[ham-han-did] / ˈhæmˈhæn dɪd /

ADJECTIVE

clumsy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bulky heavy-handed inept ponderous ungainly unwieldy

WEAK

all thumbs blundering blunderous bumbling bungling butterfingered clownish crude elephantine gauche gawkish gawky graceless heavy helpless hulking ill-shaped incompetent inelegant inexperienced inexpert lubberly lumbering lumpish maladroit oafish splay stumbling unable unadept uncoordinated uncouth undexterous uneasy unhandy unskillful untactful untalented untoward weedy

Antonyms

WEAK

adroit agile athletic clever coordinated couth dexterous expert graceful

ADJECTIVE

gauche

Synonyms

WEAK

awkward bumbling clumsy crude graceless green halting heavy-handed ignorant ill-bred ill-mannered inelegant inept insensitive lacking maladroit oafish uncouth uncultured unhappy unpolished wooden

Antonyms

WEAK

elegant graceful mannerly polished refined sophisticated tactful tasteful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ham-handed police officers pester Janey for details: Why did she touch Samantha’s dress?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Ham-handed appropriation delegitimizes more thoughtful invocations of folklore and history in the same way an actor with a bad accent can break the fourth wall on a whole production.

From Slate • Jul. 25, 2017

Ham-handed, mired stupidity, sheer dumbness, are Old Paradigm.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ham-handed and heavy-maned, he does a great deal of painting and even more cavorting.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ham-handed Joe Curran took his big East Coast National Maritime Union into the group, lined it up with five other much smaller seamen's unions and Harry Bridges' big West Coast International Longshoremen.

From Time Magazine Archive

ham-handed

Example Sentences

Related Words