butterfingered

adjective

ˈbə-tər-ˌfiŋ-gərd How to pronounce butterfingered (audio)
Definition of butterfingerednext
as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands I'm so butterfingered this morning—I keep dropping things

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for butterfingered
  1. clumsy
  2. awkward
  3. maladroit
Adjective
  • Some Latinas are nerds, and some Latinas are quirky, and some of them are goofy and some of them are clumsy.
    — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • One of the clumsiest parts of Klosterman’s book is his attempts at political punditry.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • The latest unit retains the same first six forward ratios as the outgoing Carrera T’s manual transmission, but ditches its predecessor’s somewhat awkward and largely superfluous seventh gear.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Unsurprisingly, writers have developed a myriad of strategies and tricks to push through this awkward stage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of awkward
Adjective
  • At her side is her maladroit cameraman Manu, (a winning turn from Jean-Baptiste Shelmerdine).
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Michael Strassner, who co-wrote the film with Duplass, stars as Cliff, a physically maladroit, mildly depressive but sweet-natured man whose thick beard and portly bearing suggest Lord of the Rings-era Peter Jackson.
    — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of maladroit
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

buttered up
butterfingered
butterfingers
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Cite this Entry

“Butterfingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butterfingered. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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