How to Use cumbersome in a Sentence

cumbersome

adjective
  • The application process is cumbersome and time-consuming.
  • Her expanded job title is really cumbersome.
  • The phone screen is so small that you're pushed to use the clamshell tablet all the time, and that is slow and cumbersome.
    Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 2020
  • Sure, this is a cumbersome amount of hoops to jump through.
    Annie Lane, oregonlive, 13 Nov. 2020
  • That had to have been one of the most cumbersome costumes yet, with the back end on wheels.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Feb. 2020
  • But some of them—strollers and car seats—are bulky and cumbersome.
    Noah Kaufman, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Dec. 2019
  • The pedaling causes the cumbersome gears to move and the clunky wheels to turn.
    Julia Couzens, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024
  • That meant abandoning the cumbersome long skirts of the day and putting on pants.
    Claudine Doury, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Oct. 2020
  • The next day, Herro’s right hand was in a cumbersome wrap.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2023
  • Something that’s not cumbersome and doesn’t get in the way.
    Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2019
  • This proved to be cumbersome and was changed to a one-step system — just pay and go, Garfield said.
    Mary Wisniewski, chicagotribune.com, 4 June 2017
  • Despite this design, the pair isn't too cumbersome on the foot.
    goodhousekeeping.com, 25 May 2023
  • Most of the profits are derived from the state, where the tax burden is not as cumbersome.
    Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press, 12 July 2018
  • The process, as laid out by Congress, is cumbersome and can take as long as three years.
    BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2021
  • In terms of design, Aukey's hub is just more cumbersome to use thanks to its brick-like shape.
    Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, 3 July 2018
  • And for those who do make the effort to get to the airport, the process can be cumbersome – with long lines and less-than-helpful staff.
    Susan Glaser, cleveland, 18 Aug. 2023
  • Make sure the item is sturdy enough to write on and not too cumbersome to carry all day.
    Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 27 July 2023
  • But that show was a cumbersome beast with many moving parts.
    Connor Ratliff, SPIN, 17 Feb. 2023
  • The larger the canopy size, the more cumbersome the umbrella will be to carry.
    Molly Blanco, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2023
  • Jue says the process is so cumbersome that vendors have dropped out of the application process in the past.
    Camryn Brewer, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2023
  • While quite versatile, all of the parts can be cumbersome to store.
    Good Housekeeping, 13 July 2023
  • The barbell hip thrust can be a little more cumbersome to set up.
    Tiffany Ayuda, SELF, 8 Aug. 2022
  • Now may have a cumbersome name, but the music falls into place with a balanced mix of grace and groove.
    Chris Barton, latimes.com, 22 June 2018
  • People with large breeds like Great Danes found the cone enormous and too cumbersome.
    Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
  • But at the moment, Meta’s headsets are big and cumbersome.
    New York Times, 30 Dec. 2021
  • But there is no doubt that this election process is cumbersome.
    Lynn Horsley, kansascity.com, 12 June 2017
  • One of us would lie down, and the other, brushing the hair up and away from the head, would drag the cumbersome household appliance over it.
    Betsy Blumenthal, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2023
  • But the regulations and the red tape around that process is so insane and cumbersome.
    Brad Polumbo, Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2020
  • One drawback is that the inner pot moves while trying to saute, which is a bit cumbersome.
    Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2023
  • Food is often the trickiest and most cumbersome product to find or keep stored while on the move.
    National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cumbersome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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