gawkish

adjective

ˈgȯ-kish How to pronounce gawkish (audio)
Definition of gawkishnext
as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner the kind of gawkish girl who trips while receiving her high school diploma

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gawkish
  1. awkward
  2. clumsy
  3. unsteady
Adjective
  • In addition, an awkward meeting between Ed and a smooth literary agent (Jake Lacy), along with a mini-subplot involving phone calls from Ed’s frustrated sister about their dying brother, come off slightly wedged in.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The awkward part of all this, though, is that Anthropic isn’t making money yet.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of awkward
Adjective
  • Vocals are surprisingly good, despite the show being a bit awkward and clumsy at times.
    — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Sneak away into the beyond—maybe this was a clumsy translation.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • But as Saint Laurent begins to make his unsteady way out of the banquet hall, Bergé rushes to his side, to help him.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
  • For a person who already feels unsteady, that familiar routine can become stressful.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of unsteady
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.

Browse Nearby Words

gawking
gawkish
gawkishness
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Cite this Entry

“Gawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gawkish. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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