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

Examples 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 Dwell Coffee Brewer Noah Kaufman, senior reviews editor: Taking a good coffee brewing setup on the road with you can be a little cumbersome. Megan Wahn, Bon Appétit, 30 Oct. 2024 The foot spa is pretty portable and not too heavy or cumbersome to move around your home if need be. Daley Quinn Published, Health, 25 Oct. 2024 Understandably, vowing to eat each morning can be cumbersome when options are slim or seemingly unappetizing. Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024 Currently, more than 300,000 Malaysians commute daily to Singapore where wages are typically three times higher, braving traffic jams and cumbersome custom and immigration checkpoints that could take several hours to clear at certain times. Kevin Lim, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cumbersome 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cumbersome
Adjective
  • Where Huang’s wardrobe for Oz emphasizes his position as a clumsy social climber, aspiring to classic mafia masculinity but too crass to fit in with the old-money elite, Sofia represents a different kind of outsider.
    Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Jessica Carter Altman always thought of herself as clumsy.
    Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Jennings read the clue with a slightly awkward tone, then immediately apologized to Heather after it was answered.
    Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Krieps, playing Jill possessed by Elizabeth, gets slighter colder, more rigid, and more awkward.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Anyone 35 or older will remember these toys being chunkier and unwieldy but, thankfully, times have changed.
    Toby Rose, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024
  • Professional models can reach well over 20 feet, but these can be unwieldy and not really suitable for homeowners.
    Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • From the lack of an audience, to the clunky, uncomfortable, and prohibitively expensive VR hardware, or the lack of interoperability, the promise of the metaverse from 2021 simply isn’t holding true in 2024.
    Webb Wright, WIRED, 7 Oct. 2024
  • Some of it is a bit clunky in that ‘80s TV way, but Shatner makes the terror of his own trauma feel palpable, and the images of demonic children on a lonely playground has visceral power.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near cumbersome

Cite this Entry

“Cumbersome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cumbersome. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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