unwieldy
adjective
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The Difference Between Wieldy and Unwieldy
The verb to wield means "to handle or exert something effectively." A carpenter might wield a hammer with impressive dexterity, for example, or a talented orator might wield influence over an audience of listeners. Something that is "wieldy" is capable of being wielded easily, and while that adjective may not be particularly common, its antonym "unwieldy" finds ample use to describe anything that is awkward to handle, move, or manage. "Wield" and its relatives all derive via Middle English from Old English wieldan, meaning "to control."
Synonyms
Examples of unwieldy in a Sentence
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
While most look for ways to avoid the steady rain falling from atmospheric rivers, some take advantage of the unwieldy weather patterns to improve forecasts and to help control, and ultimately modernize, the complex labyrinth of waterways hydrating California.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 11 Feb. 2025
In modern cars that handle increasingly complex tasks, those domains have led to redundant connections from power sources to electronic control units (ECUs), and an unwieldy octopus of wiring that stretches to all four corners of the vehicle.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2025
Both situations feature an unwieldy acronym, and both are treated with equal gravity.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unwieldy 
Dictionary Entries Near unwieldy
Cite this Entry
“Unwieldy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwieldy. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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unwieldy
adjective
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