graceless

adjective

ˈgrās-ləs How to pronounce graceless (audio)
Definition of gracelessnext
1
as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands a graceless person who was a butterfingered lout when it came to playing basketball

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2
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance was a graceless preteen but evolved into a confident teenager

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3
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation one guest made a graceless comment about the bride's bleached hair

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4
as in awkward
having or showing an inability to move in a graceful manner her graceless dancing was painful to watch

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5
as in improper
showing poor judgment especially in personal relationships or social situations indifferent to the nuances of constructive criticism, she sometimes says things which are hurtful or graceless

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 graceless And there’s no doubt that the graceless, smirking way she was treated in the media supports that. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024 All of this wreaks of elements of being a graceless loser in defeat. — Brian Mazique, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024 Ingebrigtsen has proven excellent at running but somewhat graceless in both victory and defeat, especially the latter. — Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024 Trump’s remarks were monumentally graceless, showing again the emptiness of his character. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for graceless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for graceless
  1. clumsy
  2. uncomfortable
  3. inappropriate
  4. awkward
  5. improper
  6. uneasy
  7. unsuitable
  8. unsteady
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
  • This defense needs to find a way to make quarterbacks uncomfortable without becoming blitz crazy, and that means Chop Robinson, Josh Uche and Malik Herring must step up and win more of their 1-on-1 assignments.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The dispute raised uncomfortable questions about the limits of political expression on a concert stage — questions Sheeran did not directly address Saturday night.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • Parental Controls for Shared Devices Parents can restrict access to adult and inappropriate content, which helps when kids use the same phones, tablets, or laptops.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Val Chmerkovskiy has been suspended from Dancing with the Stars for one week after making an inappropriate comment toward one of the judges last week.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
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
  • Additionally, improper application of diagnostic criteria, and that fact that MS symptoms can resemble those of other conditions, can sometimes lead to misdiagnosis.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • He’s also accused of having improper or unclear license plates, no proof of registration and insurance, and no proof of a driver’s license.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of improper
Adjective
  • Giving team members insight into what is known, what remains unchanged and what may come next can help people navigate uneasy periods of uncertainty with greater confidence.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Experts say Chinese officials likely felt uneasy about that opening.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • At one unsuitable Gramercy apartment, Taylor encountered Cam Armand, a salesperson on the Kota team at Compass, and the Folwells enlisted his help.
    — Joyce Cohen, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In a setting designed to make exceptional yachts desirable, explaining why a particular vessel is unsuitable requires commercial discipline.
    — Christoph Lymbersky, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsuitable
Adjective
  • In previous years, Ryans could lean on his defense to bail out an unsteady offense.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • When Latif’s wife dies, he’s immediately forced to tamp down on the instincts that have provided for his family and wade unsteady into a world of bottles, transport, and dinner time.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsteady

Browse Nearby Words

gracefulness
graceless
gracelessly
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Cite this Entry

“Graceless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/graceless. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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