clumsiness

Everyday

1. Being clumsy: moving in an awkward, careless way so that you drop, bump into or break things. tree →
2. Saying or doing things in an awkward, unskilful way that can upset people. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, clumsiness causes spills and small accidents; safety lessons teach slowing down and looking where you go. In stories, a character's clumsiness can be funny or cause trouble. Phrases: «sorry for my clumsiness», «through clumsiness».

Examples

• Through clumsiness, I knocked my juice over. tree →
• His clumsiness made him trip on the stairs. tree →
• Carrying too much at once often leads to clumsiness. tree →
• She laughed at her own clumsiness. tree →
• Puppies are full of clumsiness when they are young. tree →
• Tiredness can cause clumsiness, so be careful with knives. tree →
• The new boy's clumsiness with words made him shy. tree →

Note

Uncountable: no plural. From «clumsy» + «-ness»; the «y» changes to «i». Everyone is clumsy sometimes; it is not the same as being naughty.