awkwardly

/ˈɔːkwədli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɔːkwərdli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈȯ-kwərd-lē/ (ame, mw)

awkwardly — adverb

1. showing that a person feels shy, uneasy, or embarrassed in front of other people

1.副詞C1
釋義

showing that a person feels shy, uneasy, or embarrassed in front of other people.

例句

Wen laughed awkwardly when her teacher praised her old song.

laugh awkwardly after personal praise

At the dinner table, Ben answered awkwardly after his uncle mentioned money.

answer awkwardly after sensitive topic

同義詞
  • self-consciously

    stresses awareness of being watched or judged

  • uneasily

    broader and can describe inner discomfort without embarrassment

  • shyly

    softer and less strongly embarrassing

  • nervously

    focuses more on worry than on social discomfort

反義詞
  • confidently

    shows ease and assurance in front of others

  • naturally

    suggests relaxed behaviour without self-consciousness

文法句型

laugh awkwardly

answer awkwardly after + topic

stand awkwardly beside + person or thing

用法筆記

Often used with small social actions such as laugh, smile, pause, answer, or stand. Distinguish from sense 2, where the situation itself feels uncomfortable or badly timed, not just one person's behaviour.

常見錯誤

❌I felt awkwardly at the party.
✅I felt awkward at the party.
💡after linking verbs such as feel, use the adjective awkward, not the adverb awkwardly.

2. making a situation feel uneasy, badly timed, or difficult for the people involve

2.副詞C1
釋義

making a situation feel uneasy, badly timed, or difficult for the people involved.

例句

The joke landed awkwardly at the awards dinner for new staff.

land awkwardly for an embarrassing effect

The news was awkwardly timed, arriving just before Mia's wedding dinner.

be awkwardly timed

同義詞
  • uncomfortably

    close in meaning, but broader and less tied to embarrassment or timing

  • badly

    plainer and less specific about social tension

  • inopportunely

    formal and mainly stresses bad timing

  • tensely

    focuses on emotional strain rather than mismatch or poor timing

反義詞
  • smoothly

    suggests that an event or exchange happens without strain

  • neatly

    can suggest that something fits or works well in context

文法句型

be awkwardly timed

end awkwardly

sit awkwardly with + noun

用法筆記

Common with timing, remarks, meetings, and arrangements. Distinguish from sense 1 FEELING EMBARRASSED, which describes how a person behaves, and from sense 4 HARD TO HANDLE, which is about physical use or placement.

3. with movements that seem stiff, clumsy, or lacking easy control.

3.副詞C1
釋義

with movements that seem stiff, clumsy, or lacking easy control.

例句

After the fall, Omar walked awkwardly across the wet playground.

walk awkwardly after injury

The puppy climbed awkwardly onto the sofa and slid back down.

同義詞
  • clumsily

    the closest everyday alternative for poor physical control

  • stiffly

    focuses more on rigid movement and lack of flexibility

  • ungracefully

    stresses lack of smooth or attractive movement

反義詞
  • gracefully

    shows smooth, controlled movement

  • smoothly

    focuses on ease and lack of visible difficulty

文法句型

walk awkwardly

climb awkwardly onto + place

dance awkwardly in + clothes or shoes

用法筆記

Usually describes body movement, especially when someone is hurt, inexperienced, tired, or wearing the wrong clothes or shoes. Distinguish from sense 4 HARD TO HANDLE, where the difficulty comes from an object's shape or position.

常見錯誤

❌The baby walked awkward after the fall.
✅The baby walked awkwardly after the fall.
💡use the adverb awkwardly to describe the way someone moves.

4. so that something is inconvenient to use, carry, place, or manage.

4.副詞C1
釋義

so that something is inconvenient to use, carry, place, or manage.

例句

The suitcase sat awkwardly on the narrow shelf above our seats.

sit awkwardly on + surface

This large pan fits awkwardly in our small kitchen sink.

fit awkwardly in + place

同義詞
  • inconveniently

    broader and often less physical

  • uncomfortably

    often used when a position or arrangement feels physically uneasy

  • badly

    very general and less specific about shape or placement

反義詞
  • conveniently

    suggests something is easy to place, use, or reach

  • easily

    focuses on lack of effort or difficulty

文法句型

fit awkwardly in + place

sit awkwardly on + surface

hold awkwardly under + body part

用法筆記

Usually used when shape, size, weight, or position causes trouble. Subject is often an object, not a person. Distinguish from sense 3 STIFF MOVEMENT, which is about how a body moves.

常見錯誤

❌The chair was awkwardly to carry upstairs.
✅The chair was awkward to carry upstairs.
💡after be + adjective + infinitive, use awkward, not awkwardly.

5. so as to slow things down or avoid giving help on purpose.

5.副詞C1
釋義

so as to slow things down or avoid giving help on purpose.

例句

The clerk awkwardly kept the only pen in his pocket and watched us wait.

awkwardly showing deliberate obstruction

The landlord awkwardly kept asking for one more form before handing over the keys.

同義詞
反義詞
  • helpfully

    shows willingness to make things easier

  • cooperatively

    stresses working with others instead of blocking them

文法句型

act awkwardly on purpose

stand awkwardly refusing to + verb

answer awkwardly to delay things

用法筆記

Mainly British. The context usually has to show a choice to be obstructive or uncooperative; otherwise learners may mean sense 1 FEELING EMBARRASSED or sense 4 HARD TO HANDLE instead.