List of 426 Sets of Synonyms - How they Differ - Total of 2307 Words - 30

SYNONYMS: awkward, clumsy, maladroit, inept, gauche, ungainly.
These adjectives mean lacking grace or skill in movement, manner, or performance.

Awkward and clumsy, the least specific, are often interchangeable. Both emphasize lack of physical dexterity (an awkward dancer; clumsy fingers); both can also suggest embarrassment or lack of ease (several awkward moments in the discussion; offered a clumsy apology).
Maladroit implies tactlessness or lack of skill in social relations: a maladroit comment.
Inept applies to inappropriate actions and speech: If the rumor is true, can anything be more inept than to repeat it now?
Gauche suggests a lack of social polish: too gauche to leave the room when the conversation became intimate.
Ungainly implies a visible lack of grace in form or movement: long, ungainly legs; an ungainly gesture.