Standard Lemma guide

ham-handed

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Clumsy, heavy, or inept; not delicate, light or gentle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Some of the dishes arrived damaged after their ham-handed moving efforts.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ham-fisted, heavy-handed

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands- Mary H. Vorse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bumbling mechanic
  • a bungling performance
  • ham-handed governmental interference
  • could scarcely empty a scuttle of ashes, so handless was the poor creature

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bumbling, bungling, butterfingered, ham-fisted, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: тромав (tromav) — Clumsy, heavy, or inept
  • Bulgarian: несръчен (nesrǎčen) — Clumsy, heavy, or inept