as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design a long-handled wrench that is too cumbersome for tight spots, such as under the sink

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective cumbersome differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of cumbersome are cumbrous, heavy, ponderous, and weighty. While all these words mean "having great weight," cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture
early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

Where would heavy be a reasonable alternative to cumbersome?

While in some cases nearly identical to cumbersome, heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

When can ponderous be used instead of cumbersome?

The words ponderous and cumbersome can be used in similar contexts, but ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

When might weighty be a better fit than cumbersome?

In some situations, the words weighty and cumbersome are roughly equivalent. However, weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cumbersome Bringing classic cars to modern smog standards is costly, cumbersome and has driven a lot of the car-restoration industry to other states. The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025 Finding fuel was a bit cumbersome and confusing but not so bad at first, Yap said. Sharon Bernstein, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025 Eliminating the department altogether would be a cumbersome task, which likely would require an act of Congress. Annie Ma and Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025 The team concluded that based on the spinal column, the combination of a great white build with the megalodon's much longer length would have simply proved too cumbersome. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cumbersome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cumbersome
Adjective
  • Kisses her mouth, but the gesture is awkward, clumsy; their teeth strike together, and Brianna winces.
    Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
  • As well as making a star of Alicia Silverstone, the original movie showcased the talents of Paul Rudd who played her stepbrother Josh (and went onto become Phoebe’s partner in Friends and take on the role of Ant Man) and the late Brittany Murphy, who played Cher’s clumsy friend Tai.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • While Susan’s style gets all the attention, there’s a story to be told in Roberta’s awkward glow-up, too.
    Scarlett Harris, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The timing is awkward for Google, coming just days after Microsoft’s latest warning implying users would be safer switching from Chrome to Edge.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The New York Yankees injury list is reaching unwieldy levels.
    Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The result is a system that makes traditional notions of childhood – with its unwieldy dependencies, its inefficient play and its demands for attention and care – increasingly untenable.
    Anna Mae Duane, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • For over an hour at Molineux, Everton’s attack had been clunky.
    Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Democrats are already perceived as supporters of big, clunky government.
    Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cumbersome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cumbersome. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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