unwieldy

adjective

un·​wieldy ˌən-ˈwēl-dē How to pronounce unwieldy (audio)
: not easily managed, handled, or used (as because of bulk, weight, complexity, or awkwardness) : cumbersome
unwieldily adverb
unwieldiness noun

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The Difference Between Wieldy and Unwieldy

The verb to wield means "to handle or exert something effectively." A carpenter might wield a hammer with impressive dexterity, for example, or a talented orator might wield influence over an audience of listeners. Something that is "wieldy" is capable of being wielded easily, and while that adjective may not be particularly common, its antonym "unwieldy" finds ample use to describe anything that is awkward to handle, move, or manage. "Wield" and its relatives all derive via Middle English from Old English wieldan, meaning "to control."

Examples of unwieldy in a Sentence

The system is outdated and unwieldy. an unwieldy machine that requires two people to operate it
Recent Examples on the Web For months the internet has been cracking jokes, making memes, and forming unwieldy theories about Middleton’s whereabouts. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2024 Some media executives question whether the new venture can really lure young consumers and whether an unwieldy structure — one that is similar to the group that initially backed Hulu — can ultimately prevail. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 Social media is a messy, unwieldy business that requires constant monitoring to weed out hate speech and offensive images. Allison Morrow, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, unwieldy crowds have flocked to the city for spring break. Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Gangs of New York (2002) Scorsese’s first project with Leonardo DiCaprio came in this unwieldy historical crime epic, which chronicles the violent conflict between Catholic and Protestant factions in 1860s Manhattan. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 By committing to his maritime statecraft initiative, Del Toro is obviously surfing a populist wave, trying to meld together a big and unwieldy coalition. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 At the country’s founding, most political observers believed that India was too heterogeneous and unwieldy to hold together. Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2024 But Gordon was already mastering a rather niche art: ensnaring the unpredictable and the unwieldy. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unwieldy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unwieldy was in 1530

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Dictionary Entries Near unwieldy

Cite this Entry

“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwieldy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unwieldy

adjective
un·​wieldy ˌən-ˈwē(ə)l-dē How to pronounce unwieldy (audio)
ˈən-
: not easily handled or managed because of size or weight : awkward, cumbersome
an unwieldy tool

More from Merriam-Webster on unwieldy

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