English · Word Candidate

awkward

/ˈɔːk.wəd/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: awkwards

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Thiếu khéo léo trong sử dụng tay hoặc công cụ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

John was awkward at performing the trick. He'll have to practice to improve.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Không dễ dàng quản lý hoặc thực hiện, gây khó xử

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

That was an extremely awkward moment. Everyone was watching.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Someone or something that is awkward.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Ai đó hoặc thứ gì đó không thoải mái

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Another important branch of deportment was to seat the awkwards stiffly on the extreme edge of a chair, fold the hands on the very precarious lap, droop the eyes in a pensive way.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “awkward” mean?

Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.

Is “awkward” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.