MEANING
1. Difficult to carry or handle because of great size, weight, or awkward shape.
2. Awkwardly complicated or inefficient to manage, use, or understand.
Use it for
Use for bulky things that are awkward to carry, wear, or maneuver.Make a carried object or garment obstruct movement and complicate action.
Words that belong together
- cumbersome equipment
- cumbersome coat
- cumbersome load
- cumbersome procedure
- cumbersome regulations
- cumbersome wording
On the page
The cumbersome generator had to be dragged through the snow.
A cumbersome approval process kept the urgent repair waiting.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- cumbersome
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Usage notes
For physical objects, emphasizes awkward size, weight, or shape rather than mere heaviness. Sense 2: For systems or language, emphasizes needless difficulty rather than physical bulk.
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