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
  • One of the clumsiest parts of Klosterman’s book is his attempts at political punditry.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Feed your head Neagley gets off to a sluggish start, with a workmanlike, rather clumsy first episode largely spent establishing the main characters and central plot—and the writers lean a bit too hard on constant Chicago callbacks.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Adjective
  • The happy reunion is actually a bit awkward and tense at first.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Grappling with how the world has molded you, and how that manifests in life, in love, and in your day job, can be an awkward process.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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