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.

Mr. Ali’s attempt to contort it to reflect the controversy over immigration policy is ham-handed and confused.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

That’s the bigger story that is being lost in the government’s egregious, ham-handed attempt to turn Ábrego García into an object lesson.

From Salon • Jul. 17, 2025

A number of missteps and misstatements - including a ham-handed June 2021 interview with NBC News presenter Lester Holt – damaged her standing and opened her to conservative attacks.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2024

There is evidence that the messaging, though ham-handed, has played well in many of the places Wagner operates.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2023

I was getting ham-handed and mutton-fisted, flapping the old things every day; felt I wanted to stunt about a bit.

From Mr. Punch's History of the Great War by Graves, Charles L. (Charles Larcom)

ham-handed

Example Sentences

Related Words