adj
ungainly
Ungainly (adj) means Awkward and without grace.
adj
1
Awkward and without grace.
"Photographs of the Fowler Moguls had always given me the impression of an ungainly design: the sight of them more then confirmed it."
— , A Broadening Horizon (1944)
2
Hard to move or handle; cumbersome.
3
Not appropriate, or bringing no benefit.
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Etymology
Ungainly is formed from un- (“not”) and gainly (“graceful; becoming; proper, suitable; gracious, kindly”), itself from gain (“dexterous; convenient, easy, handy; suitable”), which traces to Old Norse gegn (“fit, serviceable; direct, straight; honest; kindly”) plus -ly (a suffix forming adjectives from nouns). Compare dialectal Norwegian Nynorsk ugjegnleg (“stubborn; troublesome”).
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for ungainly
See all rhymes for ungainly →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of ungainly?
"ungainly" (adj) means awkward and without grace.
What is another word for ungainly?
Other words for "ungainly" include bunglesome, unwieldy, clunky, clumsy, awkward, gawky.
What is the opposite of ungainly?
The opposite of "ungainly" is graceful.
What are the different meanings of ungainly?
"ungainly" has 3 main meanings: 1. Awkward and without grace; 2. Hard to move or handle; cumbersome; 3. Not appropriate, or bringing no benefit.
