gawkier; gawkiest
: awkward, clumsy
a gawky adolescent
gawkily adverb
gawkiness noun
gawky noun

Examples of gawky in a Sentence

the stiff, gawky gait of a newborn colt
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Carmello, a three-time Tony nominee, delivers an exquisite performance, equal parts gawky and wise, a tender-hearted girl feeling every slight but also always slightly above the fray. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024 Here, Finnigan is gawky and eager in a T-shirt and jeans, with a few helpful props on hand, determined to tick all the boxes just so. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024 In the latter, there’s Anthony’s gawky and innately likable Dylan, Kezii Curtis as the laugh-out-loud hilarious Spud, and Chiara Aurelia’s fearless Jordy. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2024 One such person is Jason Segel, a gawky and affable character actor who Apatow correctly identified as a rom-com leading man. Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gawky 

Word History

Etymology

gawk entry 1 + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gawky was in 1759

Dictionary Entries Near gawky

Cite this Entry

“Gawky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gawky. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gawky

adjective
gawkier; gawkiest
gawkily adverb
gawkiness
-kē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on gawky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!