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awkwardness
/ˈɔːkwərdnəs/
feeling of unease
The awkwardness in the room was palpable after his joke fell flat.
The uncomfortable silence that followed the unsuccessful joke.
neutral
a feeling of discomfort or embarrassment caused by social situations
She felt a wave of awkwardness when she realized she had called her boss by the wrong name.
She experienced discomfort from the social mistake.
The awkwardness of the situation made everyone avoid eye contact.
The uncomfortable social dynamics prevented interaction.
Often used to describe interactions where social norms are violated or misunderstood.
neutral
the quality of being clumsy or ungraceful in movement
His awkwardness on the dance floor was endearing to his friends.
His clumsy or uncoordinated movements were charming.
Refers to physical rather than social clumsiness in this sense.
Collocations
social awkwardnessdiscomfort in social interactionsphysical awkwardnessclumsiness in movementawkward silencean uncomfortable pause in conversation
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'awkwardness'
While 'awkwardness' is useful, it can sound overly dramatic if used for minor discomfort. Prefer 'embarrassment' or 'discomfort' for subtler situations.
Gold Rule
Context matters
Use 'awkwardness' for social discomfort or physical clumsiness, but not for general unease. For example, 'awkwardness at the party' (social) vs. 'awkwardness in his movements' (physical).
Word Origin
From Middle English 'awkward' (left-handed, clumsy) + '-ness' (suffix forming abstract nouns). 'Awkward' derives from Old Norse 'afugr' (turned the wrong way) and 'vagr' (turned).
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both social and physical contexts. The social sense is more prevalent in everyday language, while the physical sense is more specific.
Word Breakdown
awkward
clumsy or uncomfortable
root-ness
suffix forming abstract nouns
suffixEnglish Dictionary