awkwardness

Everyday

1. The feeling of being uncomfortable or embarrassed, especially in a social situation. tree →
2. Clumsiness; not moving easily or smoothly. tree →
3. Being difficult to deal with. tree →

In the lessons

In stories: the awkwardness of a silence, of a first day at a new school. In everyday life: the awkwardness of a teenager growing fast. Phrases: an awkwardness between them, social awkwardness.

Examples

• There was an awkwardness after the argument. tree →
• He laughed to hide his awkwardness. tree →
• The new girl felt the awkwardness of not knowing anyone. tree →
• The baby giraffe's awkwardness made us smile. tree →
• The awkwardness of the box made it hard to carry. tree →
• After a minute, the awkwardness was gone and we chatted. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Adjective: awkward (note the "wkw" spelling). Informal synonym: cringe (slang).