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awkward

Pronunciation: /ˈɔːkwəd/
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Definition of awkward

adjective

  • 1causing difficulty; hard to do or deal with:some awkward questions the wheelbarrow can be awkward to manoeuvre
  • deliberately unreasonable or uncooperative:you’re being damned awkward!
  • 2causing or feeling uneasy embarrassment or inconvenience:he had put her in a very awkward position she felt awkward alone with him
  • 3not smooth or graceful; ungainly:Luther’s awkward movements impeded his progress
  • uncomfortable or abnormal:make sure the baby isn’t sleeping in an awkward position

Derivatives

awkwardly

adverb

Origin:

late Middle English (in the sense 'the wrong way round, upside down'): from dialect awk 'backwards, perverse, clumsy' (from Old Norse afugr 'turned the wrong way') + -ward

awkward in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of awkward in the US English dictionary
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