Clumsy describes someone who lacks physical coordination or grace, often moving awkwardly or making mistakes due to poor motor control. It can also refer to actions or objects that are awkward or inelegant. In everyday use, it contrasts with nimble, precise or graceful behavior. The term conveys a sense of stumbling or clumsy handling rather than deliberate clumsiness.
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"She dropped the glass again—she’s so clumsy today."
"The dancer’s clumsy first attempt gave way to a graceful routine after practice."
"His clumsy handwriting makes the notes hard to read, but the ideas are solid."
"We laughed at the clumsy move in the game, then praised the quick recovery."
The adjective clumsy comes from the early 14th century Middle English clomsy or clomesie, derived from an unrecorded Middle English word meaning ‘lame’ or ‘sluggish,’ possibly related to the Old Norse kluma ‘to be lame’ and the Old English cloma ‘clog, lump.’ Over time, the sense broadened from physical immobility to a general lack of coordination, awkward handling, or inept behavior. By the 16th century, clumsy described both movements and actions, not just people, with subtle shifts toward metaphorical uses (a clumsy attempt, a clumsy plan). In modern usage, clumsy retains its core association with lack of grace, while in some idiomatic contexts it also signals carelessness or hackneyed execution. The word has remained stable in form, with derivatives such as clumsily (adverb) and clumsiness (noun). First known written occurrence appears in early Middle English medical or descriptive texts, with later, more common usage in poetry and prose during the Renaissance as social commentary on behavior and dexterity. Today, clumsy is ubiquitous in everyday speech across English-speaking regions, retaining its straightforward, tangible sense of awkward movement and action.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "clumsy" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "clumsy"
-mmy sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say it as two syllables with stress on the first: /ˈklʌm.zi/. Start with a nice, rounded /k/ followed by the lax /l/ and the short /ʌ/ as in ‘cup,’ then an upbeat /m/ and the /z/ before the final /i/ as a clear, unstressed /i/. Emphasize the first syllable a touch more. This yields CLUM-sy, not CLOO-msy or CLEM-sy.
Common errors include flattening the vowel to a long /uː/ as in 'cloose- me,' and misplacing the /z/ as an /s/ or /z/ at the end. Another mistake is reducing the final syllable to a quick /i/ without a clear /zi/; beginner often stops after /ˈklʌm/. To correct: keep the /ʌ/ clearly as in ‘cup,’ pronounce the /m/ fully, and release the final /zi/ as a short, crisp /zi/ rather than a silent or incomplete end.
In US/UK/AU, the initial cluster /kl/ remains; the main difference is vowel quality. US/UK generally maintain /ˈklʌm.zi/, with rhoticity not affecting this word. AU often keeps the same vowel but may have a slightly more centralized /ʌ/ and a shorter /i/ ending. The final /zi/ may sound like /zi/ or a lightly reduced /zɪ/ depending on speaker. Focus on a crisp /ʌ/ and a clear /zi/ to stay intelligible across accents.
The difficulty lies in the short, lax /ʌ/ vowel which can be mistaken for /a/ or /ɒ/, and the /z/ before a high front vowel /i/ which demands a quick voicing transition. The /kl/ onset also requires precise tongue position to avoid a nasalized or imprecise start. Keeping the jaw relaxed, lips neutral, and tongue slightly back for /ʌ/ helps create a clean CLUM-zy. Practice with minimal pairs to lock in the abrupt /m/ and /zi/ sequence.
Clumsy has no silent letters and the stress is fixed on the first syllable: /ˈklʌm.zi/. The stress pattern is strong-weak two-syllable. The unique aspect is that the second syllable begins with a voiced consonant /z/ rather than a vowel, which requires a quick, smooth transition from /m/ to /z/ and then a short /i/. Understanding this helps distinguish it from similar shapes like ‘clummy’ or ‘clumsy’ in other dialect spellings.
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