The president's lack of a defined contingency plan is maladroit at best.
Source: tatoeba (8931070)
Maladroit
/ˌmæl.əˈdɹɔɪt/
Synonyms for "maladroit" (88 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (18)
Strong matches (26)
clumsy-fistedcumbersomedeficientelephantinefingers all thumbsfumblinggauchegawkishgawkygracelesshaltingham-fistedham-handedheavy handedheavy-handedhulkinghulkyimperfectimpoliticinadequate
Show 4 more words
Adjective(2 words)
ineptinept prose
Related words (44)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: all thumbs, awkward, awkward, awkward phrasing, base.
- Sentence evidence is available for maladroit, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "maladroit".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "maladroit"
Keep "maladroit" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "maladroit" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "maladroit", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "maladroit" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesbehavioral attributecharacter traitcommunication styleinterpersonal traitlinguistic behaviorsocial behavior
More specific
8 entriesCollocations
6 entriesmaladroit at calculationsmaladroit handlingmaladroit maneuvermaladroit prosemaladroit remarkssocially maladroit
Inflections
2 entriesmore maladroitmost maladroit
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
14 entriesSample sentences
3 total sentences available.
Like the maladroit boy himself, the director does not believe in warming his audience up with narrative foreplay, and it's the same story when we cut to the family home of Julio's girlfriend, whose parents allow him into her bedroom to help her look for her passport, and she gleefully wrenches her tracksuit bottoms down.
Source: wiktionary
Do you know someone who needs hours alone every day? Who loves quiet conversations about feelings or ideas, and can give a dynamite presentation to a big audience, but seems awkward in groups and maladroit at small talk? Who has to be dragged to parties and then needs the rest of the day to recuperate?
Source: wiktionary
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "maladroit"?
Closest matches include all thumbs, awkward, awkward, awkward phrasing, base.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "maladroit"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.